Harry's Golden Nuggets
by Snaggledog
Summary: Harry takes charge of his fate and the war. He manipulates the wizarding world with revolts, scams and his own vast wealth, but even the best laid plans go awry. His mistake costs him more than he bargains for. Regardless, he is committed to making his crazy plan work. Begins after GoF - Some Dumbledore bashing.
1. Chapter 1

I want to thank JK Rowling for allowing HP fanfiction to exist and providing me with countless hours of enjoyment. I am not her and my writing will prove that.

Harry doesn't have superpowers, but he is very rich. He uses his wealth as a weapon to accomplish his goals. This story has a purpose in having him wealthy, if you don't figure why before, chapter 12 will tell you.

This story is completely finished. It is 24 chapters long, and I will be publishing a chapter at least twice a week until done.

I am an old fat bald guy that has read hundreds of millions of words of HP fanfiction over the last twelve years. In all that reading I have never encountered some of the plot devices that I have used in this story, maybe they are out there, but I haven't seen them. Finally I decided to write my own story so that I could see them in print. Unfortunately, not all of this story is original, there are many things that you have seen before, but I am sure that you will find many new things to enjoy as well.

This story is rated 'M'. There are no lemons in this story and it is not slash, although the subject is briefly mentioned. The first half of chapter 17 is violent and deals with things that are not family friendly.

I am not going to beg or ask for reviews, but I will be most grateful if you would let me know if you like it.

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Chapter 1

_Harry entered his hotel room and flopped onto the bed. He took a couple of deep breaths and closed his eyes. Thoughts were flitting through his head, and he was having trouble calming down. Harry was in a daze. Everything that he had thought and planned this morning was thrown out of the window, and a whole new set of circumstances had taken their place._

~~oo000oo~~

The night of his arrival on Privet Drive was uneventful, he was left alone to unload his trunk from Uncle Vernon's new car and drag it up to his room.

As Harry lay on his bed, there were many thoughts going through his mind - thoughts of Cedric and the graveyard and how screwed up his life was. He kept thinking of what he could have done differently and what he could do to change things in the future to give him a chance. The only things that he could think of doing were to gain more knowledge and get more training.

The problem was being trapped at the Dursley's. Dumbledore wouldn't let him leave, and if he did leave, then they would bring him back and keep him there. With the underage restriction of using magic during the summer, there was no way for him to train. Asking for help was out of the question, and finding a way around the underage restriction was out as well. Surely the Weasleys, especially the twins, would have found a way around it. If there were any ways to get around or break a rule, then Fred and George would have found it. Harry couldn't think of a way to train without using magic, but he just had to find something that he could do to become better equipped to fight Voldemort.

Harry wanted to know his options and what possibilities were open to him. He could buy books to study, but he didn't know if that was enough. He could ask his friends for advice but couldn't send those kinds of messages by owl, and he didn't know if he would get a chance to see them during the summer. 'First things first,' thought Harry. Perhaps he could get some books for summer reading if he could get to Diagon Alley. There was no reason that he couldn't read about defense and other subjects while imprisoned on Privet Drive.

The next morning was met with Vernon being his usual insufferable self. Being left alone was too much to ask for, and it was obvious it was not going to happen. After being loudly called from his room, he knew that something was going to happen, and it wasn't going to be pleasant.

Vernon's purple face was an indication that he was about to blow, "Listen here, you freak, your kind doesn't scare me, and you are not going to bring your freakishness to this house. We are normal, upstanding people, and I won't tolerate any of your kind around here."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon."

"You will make sure that none of those freaks will come around here and cause trouble, or you will pay for it. You understand?"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon."

"There is going to be a list of chores that you will do, or you will be thrown out the door so fast that your head will spin around."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon."

"Now, get out of my sight."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon."

After Vernon left for work, Harry decided to leave for Gringotts to refill his money bag so that he could go to Flourish and Blotts. He thought that using his invisibility cloak might be a little paranoid, but better safe than sorry. Harry sneaked out the back door and put on his cloak before going around to the front of the house. As he started down Privet Drive, the smell of strong tobacco and firewhisky assaulted his nose.

Who it was wasn't clear, but he was very glad that he had decided to be cautious.

Taking the Knight Bus didn't seem to be a good idea, so he headed for the bus station to catch a muggle bus for London. After five bus changes, he was at Charing Cross and in front of the Leaky Cauldron. While hidden under his cloak, he waited for someone to open the door so that he could squeeze in along with them. After a few minutes, he made it through the barrier into Diagon Alley itself and headed straight to the bank. The Alley wasn't too crowded, so he didn't have much problem getting there quickly.

He took off the cloak on the steps of the bank and hurried inside. He approached the nearest teller and waited several minutes before the goblin acknowledged him.

"What do you want?" the teller asked brusquely.

"I need to make a withdrawal from my vault."

"Key, please," The goblin responded.

"I don't have my key. It was given to someone else to make purchases for me."

"You can't visit your vault without a key."

"Can I get a replacement key?" Harry didn't know if this was possible, but since Mrs. Weasley never returned his key from last year, he didn't have many options.

"You will have to see your account manager for verification."

"Who is my account manager?"

"Name, please?"

"Harry Potter." Harry lifted his bangs and showed the goblin his scar, and the goblin made a gesture to the side.

"This is Nearfang, he will take you to see Varnok."

Harry gave his thanks and followed Nearfang through several hallways up and down stairs until Harry was sure that he couldn't find his way back out without help. Finally, they came upon a large ornately carved door. Nearfang held his hand up to Harry, indicating to wait while he knocked and entered. After a few moments he was motioned into a large office with an old goblin sitting behind a desk. Nearfang announced him and left.

"I'm Varnok, the Potter account manager. Nearfang tells me that you have lost your key. Do you have any way to prove that?"

"I didn't lose it, I gave it to Mrs. Weasley so that she could get my school supplies last year, and she hasn't given it back. For reasons that I don't want to explain now, I would like to get a replacement key so that I can withdraw some gold."

"You will have to give blood to prove you are not a fraud, like so many others." The goblin had a feral smile showing his sharp teeth. "Be warned that if you shall fail the test, it will mean your life." The goblin reached in his drawer for a piece of parchment.

"I'm Harry Potter. I'm not worried that I'm not."

"Cut your thumb with this blade, and press it against this paper." Harry did so, and there was a soft golden glow around his hand and the parchment. Harry couldn't tell if the goblin was excited or disappointed. It was really hard to tell. Goblin expressions were difficult to read. Within a few seconds, a key materialized on the desk.

"Your key has been retrieved from wherever it was, and it is returned to you. Do you wish to visit your vault now, or do you have any questions for me?" Harry thought for a few moments and realized that he had never asked how much gold he had.

"Would you, please, tell me how much gold I have?"

Varnok paused for a moment and replied "I have been instructed, should you ever ask that question, that Ragnok, our bank director, wants to be present. Give me a moment to see if he is available." Varnok left the office, leaving Harry to wonder why his asking about his vault would merit the attention of the bank director. After several minutes, Varnok returned with a very old-looking goblin.

"Mr. Potter, I'm Ragnok, and I have asked, specifically, to be here to help explain your position. There are many things that you need to know, and I want to make myself available for your questions."

"Thank you, Mr. Ragnok, I'm unsure why I require your attention, but I appreciate it, regardless."

"Please, Mr. Potter, call me Ragnok, and I will explain in due course the purpose of my presence."

"I would appreciate if you and Varnok would please call me Harry, I really don't like being called 'mister.'"

"Alright then, Harry, let's listen to Varnok's answer to your question, and then you and I have other things to discuss."

"The simple answer to your question is at the moment you have…" Varnok looked to a parchment in his hand, "1,257,186 galleons, 14 sickles and 11 knuts in your vault. This number changes rapidly and the account balance fluctuates a great deal. Many times there is very little money left."

"Why does it change so much?"

"You need to understand the reason behind your rapidly changing balance," Varnok explained, "the reason goes back for hundreds of years within your family. What do you know about your family, Harry?"

"Not very much, I know that my father's name was James and my mother was Lily Evans before they were married. I don't know anything about my grandparents. I was never allowed to ask questions when I grew up, and no one has told me anything since." Harry wondered why he never bothered to ask more about his family, but he wasn't sure who he could ask.

"I'm appalled that no one has explained your history to you before this. Are you aware that the Potter family is an Ancient and Noble House, and do you know what that means?"

"No, I didn't, and I can only guess what it means."

"An Ancient and Noble house means that the Potter family has been here since before the time of Merlin. Ancient and Noble families have hereditary seats in the Wizengamot, and you will one day take your place there. It also means that you are not subject to certain laws." Varnok paused a moment before he continued. "At this point you only need to know that the Potter family has been around for a very long time. Hundreds of years ago, Arthurus Potter changed how the Potter family managed its wealth. His management directive can be illustrated by asking you a few questions."

"Okay, but I don't know much of anything about how to manage money."

"I'm sure that you will understand when I'm done. First, Harry, do you have any money on you?"

"I have two galleons and a few knuts, but that's all."

"That is fine. Let me ask you, if you were to leave that money in your pocket for weeks, months or years would you ever have more than you do now?"

"I don't think so. I don't see how I would."

"If you withdrew a thousand galleons and placed it in your trunk, would it ever increase in amount?"

"No."

"Would you think that an even bigger pile of galleons in your vault would ever increase?"

"I thought that a bank would pay interest on what is in my vault." Harry was confused as to where this conversation was going.

"You are almost correct Harry, but let me explain one of the ways that a bank makes money. If we pay our depositors interest for their galleons, we must lend those galleons out to customers for more interest in order to make money. For example, if we pay a depositor four percent interest, we then lend the money to companies and individuals for eight percent, then the difference between what we pay for galleons and what we charge for lending - in this case, four percent - is how we make a profit. With the galleons remaining in the vault they can't be leant out."

"That makes sense, I guess, but I don't understand why my vault keeps changing amounts."

"Let me ask another question. Which do you think will make you more money, the money you gave to Fred and George Weasley or the money sitting in your vault?"

"You know about my Tri-Wizard winnings and what I did with it?"

"Harry, you are my client, it is my job to know these things. But let me continue with my explanation. Your ancestor learned that his galleons lying in a vault weren't making him any money, so he did as you did with the Weasley's, he made investments in people and businesses. He set as a goal to have only a very small portion of his money sitting in his vault, the rest was to be used to buy businesses, property, stocks, commodities and anything else that would bring him more galleons."

"So how does this work exactly?"

"There are Goblins working on your account who are constantly investing into a wide variety of things and then deciding when to sell, trade or keep what you own. We also have goblins collecting the proceeds from the sales, rents, any dividends - which is what companies pay their investors - and any other money that is returned from your investments. A simple answer to your question is that there are always galleons coming in and then being used for further investment."

"Wow, I had no idea that the Potter family was that rich. Uh…. just how much are we talking about?"

"It averages that in a month's time there are a little over two million galleons of profits, plus any galleons from sales of assets, flowing through your vault."

"That is a lot of galleons. I don't know what to say." Harry had a rather shocked look on his face.

"_If you don't consider _galleons in your vault as a measurement of wealth, but instead how much your investments are worth you are very rich in the magical world - not the richest, but very rich indeed."

"I had no idea."

"But that isn't all, another one of your many-times-great grandfathers, Aloysius Potter, decided to not limit himself to the magical world, he loved to spend time with muggles and bought real estate that he thought would be valuable someday. Your ancestors continued to invest in muggle properties around Britain, and you have nearly two billion pounds of investment property that bring in tens of millions of pounds of rent each month. You also own large tracks of bare land that doesn't return an income but appreciates in value. All these profits and purchases are not converted into galleons, but stay in muggle currency and are not part of the galleons flowing through the Potter Vault."

"I don't know what to say. This is a lot to take in."

"There is even more that you need to know." Varnok continued, while Ragnok just sat and listened. "There are foreign investments and a large amount of capital invested in muggle corporations. I think that you will be interested to know that, after your father and mother were married, your father directed us to buy Grunnings Drill Company through one of your subsidiary companies. Your uncle works for you, and he has no idea."

"Bloody Hell!" Harry was wide-eyed, and his mind was going in circles with all the possibilities. Eventually he started to get a grin on his face. He just had to figure out the best way to use this information.

"Something else that you should know is the only ones who know the complete picture of your wealth are here in this room. Since your father and grandfather died, only Ragnok and I have had the complete picture. Other goblins only deal with certain portions of your account and don't know the entire portfolio. Unless you tell someone how much you are worth, then they won't know. Most of your investments are held by companies within companies. You may only own a small percentage of some companies, while you may own controlling interest in others. Of course, you own some companies outright. It is a little confusing until you spend time with it to fully understand how it all fits together." Varnok was enjoying the look on Harry's face, he always enjoyed shocking humans. "I'll provide you with a complete set of documents that will show how your assets fit together when you are ready. I believe that you might need time to come to grips with this information before working with the details."

"You are right. This is all overwhelming, and I can wait for details until later. However I would like to know how to go about using Grunnings to my best advantage with my uncle. I'm not sure yet what I want to do, but it is going to be fun, at least for me." Harry was grinning now, and there was a gleam in his eye. It was like Christmas coming early.

"You will have to be careful that you don't do anything where your Aunt and Uncle's physical guardianship of you may affect your financial holdings. Right now, your holdings are held within a trust that is administered by Director Ragnok and me. What your aunt and uncle don't know is probably for the best. That doesn't mean that you can't use your ownership to your advantage, though it would be best if you went through us until you come of age."

"You mean that the Dursleys could try to take control of all of this?"

Ragnok answered Harry's question. "They would fail in their attempts. Muggles have little standing within magical culture. However, in the muggle world, you would be more vulnerable, and all your assets might be disclosed. I suggest that the secrecy about your wealth is of great benefit to you. It is something that can be used to your advantage to strike better deals and even destroy your enemies."

"I appreciate both of your advice, and I'll have to think about the Dursleys some more before I want to do anything. I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas… I'm REALLY looking forward to listening to what you have to say." Harry said with a huge grin on his face.

Ragnok and Varnok smiled at Harry knowing of many things that Harry might choose to do with his relatives. The possibilities were nearly endless, and all of them were great fun for goblins. Ruining the lives of humans was what goblins did for sport.

Shortly after the three of them discussed some of the options that could be done to the Dursleys, Varnok excused himself leaving Ragnok and Harry alone.

"Harry, what I'm about to tell you no one else knows but me. Even Varnok is not privy to this information." Ragnok was looking directly at Harry, making Harry a little uncomfortable.

"I understand, but what can be more important than what I just heard?"

"You will be surprised by what I'm going to tell you. Varnok is just one of many of your account managers. Perhaps he is the most visible because he handles the Potter holdings, but he is not alone in what he does for you."

"You mean there is more than what Varnok told me?"

"Exactly, and let me take you back to what we were talking about earlier with your family. Arthurus Potter was not the first to take interest in how to increase the Potter wealth. The Potter line goes back at least as far as the Peverells, but likely much further. You would have to study your family history to know more. Goblins aren't terribly interested in how wizards intermarry unless it involves gold. A most curious thing has taken place throughout your family history which has caught the interest of Gringotts for hundreds of years. Your ancestors have always tended to marry single noble heiresses. Your many-times-great grandmothers generally came from rich lines of nobles without brothers to carry on the family name."

"So my grandmothers were rich and noble before they married into the Potter family?"

"Yes, but let me give you an example. Your father's mother, was born Dorea Black. Her father was Aries Black, but her mother was Lady Isabella Templeton, the last of the noble Templeton family. One of your titles, besides Lord Potter, is Lord Templeton."

"You mean I'm a lord?"

"You are a lord many times over. Many of your titles begin with baron, earl, viscount, duke, and even prince of a now defunct kingdom. As I said, your grandfathers seemed very attracted to titles when they married. That is why it was such a surprise when your father married your mother. It is still talked about in goblin circles. The last time that a Potter married a commoner was over two hundred years ago."

Ragnok continued, "Even with all their titles the Potters have never flaunted the nobility of their family. In fact, one of the Potter family secrets is the knowledge of a complex form of a Fidelius charm that hides these family connections from others. Even magical genealogy books don't accurately show your ancestry. No one but you and I know that you are Lord Templeton as well as Lord Wickham, Overton, Bentley, and Selby. You are the Baron of Seabrooke as well as Northrop and many others. It has always seemed odd that the Potters always married well, but failed to flaunt their new titles. What is interesting to note is that the Potters left the fortunes of these nobilities managed separately from the Potter fortune. Arthurus Potter did invoke his investing methodology onto all these entities and they were later modified by Aloysius Potter. Without any withdrawals from these accounts, they have amassed wealth of unbelievable proportions. An example of this is the Barony of Seabrooke, it has been left untouched for over seven hundred years and it is mostly invested in shipping, in the past few decades it has branched into luxury liners for muggles. Many of these large luxury liners have several thousand passengers and cost in excess of a billion pounds each. Seabrooke has several of these ships operating and have more under construction."

Ragnok could see that Harry's mind was reaching overload. "The director of Gringotts is the only one who knows the true scope of your wealth. Each of these accounts operates independently from the others and they often buy and sell between themselves not knowing they are owned by the same person. If the account managers suspect anything, they haven't mentioned it to me. Harry, many people strive to be the richest person on the earth. What none of them know is that the Potter family has been the richest for a very long time and has chosen to keep it secret."

Harry tried to respond, but words couldn't come out of his mouth. His head was in a daze, and he expected to wake up at anytime from a very weird dream.

"Harry, I would like to encourage you to learn and study your family. It is not only rich in galleons, but history as well. There are vaults containing books and heirlooms from many branches of your family. Many of these vaults haven't been opened for generations. I believe that your ancestors faced many of the same problems that you are facing in their own time and you might find the answers that you need."

"Ragnok, I need time to absorb this and try to ask some sensible questions." Thinking of the person waiting for him outside on Privet Drive he continued, "I don't want to return to my aunt and uncle's home today. I think that I would like to find a quiet room somewhere and spend some time alone. When I came here today, I needed to make a withdrawal; I still do, but now I need enough money to hide for a couple of days before I'll come back here again. Could you have someone retrieve some money for me, both magical and muggle?"

"It will be ready when you reach the front lobby. Would you like for me to call Nearfang to show you out?"

"I would. I think that I'll come back either tomorrow or the next day to visit with you and visit one of my vaults."

Ragnok called for Nearfang, and Harry was taken back to the lobby. A teller met him there with an extension-charmed pouch with galleons and a wallet full of pound notes. The teller also explained that he included a muggle credit card to make larger purchases.

With Harry's head feeling a bit numb, he approached the doors to the bank and slipped back under his invisibility cloak. As he retraced his steps back down the alley and through the Leaky Cauldron, he tried to think of a place to hide for a couple of days. A muggle hotel would do nicely, but he didn't know of any. As he walked a couple of blocks down Charing Cross road, he came up with an idea.

After hailing a taxi, he told the driver, "I hope that you can help me, my parents and I are visiting London, and they went on to our hotel. I wanted to visit some shops and told them that I would meet them there. But I can't remember the name. They said it was near Kings Cross. They only stay in the best hotels, but I'm really bad at remembering names. Maybe if you could give me some names of hotels in that area, I might remember."

"The best one is the Great Northern Hotel, and then there is…"

"That's it! That is the one! Would you please take me there?"

Before long, they arrived and Harry tipped the driver a fifty pound note for his help. The front desk looked a little bothered to see a scruffy looking teenager trying to rent a room, but they checked the platinum card and found that he had unlimited credit. They decided that he was probably some spoiled rich kid and allowed him to book a suite of rooms.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry entered his hotel room and flopped onto the bed. He took a couple of deep breaths and closed his eyes. Thoughts were flitting through his head and he was having trouble calming down. Harry was in a daze, everything that he had thought and planned this morning was thrown out of the window, and a whole new set of circumstances had taken their place.


	2. Chapter 2

This is not a work of J K Rowling

Chapter 2

The suite of rooms were lavishly appointed, there was even a whirlpool bath. Harry decided that he needed to relax and thought a hot soak would be just the thing he needed. Relaxing in the water was very soothing and he began to focus on some of the conversations that he remembered from earlier that day.

'_There is going to be a list of chores that you will do, or you will be thrown out the door so fast that your head will spin around.'_

'_Your uncle works for you, and he has no idea.' _

'_You mean that the Dursleys could try to take control of all of this?'_

_'The secrecy of your wealth is of great benefit to you. It is something that can be used to your advantage to strike better deals and even destroy your enemies.'_

_'There are vaults containing books and heirlooms from many branches of your family. Many of these vaults haven't been opened for generations. I believe that your ancestors faced many of the same problems you are facing in their own time, and you might find the answers that you need.'_

Knowing what he just learned, there were several matters that he needed to deal with. First, going back to the Dursleys and working like a house elf was out of the question, but if he left the Dursleys, then where would he go that he was safe from Voldemort and the Order? Slowly ideas and possibilities began to form in his head, so many that he was going to need to make a list before he returned to Gringotts.

Harry left his reverie long enough to see that his skin was turning into a wrinkled prune. As he left the bath, he found giant fluffy towels and a soft fluffy bath robe. When he looked at the clothes that he had been wearing, he knew that he was going to have to do something about those too. For now, he needed to write down the questions and ideas he thought about while soaking and then do something about supper.

As he sat down at the desk in his suite, he found the menu for room service and thought the idea was brilliant. He looked over all the items that sounded fancy that he had never tried before, but his attention kept coming back to pizza. He never had pizza with the Dursleys, and Hogwarts never served it either. With his mind made up, he called room service and made his order.

Harry's concentration was fully on getting his ideas on paper when there was a knock on the door. Harry was pretty sure that it was room service, but he had a fear run down his spine that it could be Death Eaters or the Order that found him. With his wand in one hand, he opened the door to find that it really was his food, and he relaxed. Making plans regarding wizards finding him just moved up on his list of priorities, but he just wasn't sure what he could do about it yet. He needed to add more to his list about his safety, but that could wait until he had his pizza. He tipped generously and started to eat, he couldn't believe how much he enjoyed pizza and the Coke that he ordered.

~~oo000oo~~

Vernon Dursley returned from work to find the chores undone and the freak missing. His face started to change color again, and he started shouting to his wife.

"Pet, where is that miserable good-for-nothing freak?"

"I haven't seen him all day, not since you left for work, and he hasn't done a single chore."

"When you see him, you send him directly to me, I'll show him what happens to a worthless lay-about!"

Outside, Nymphadora Tonks heard shouting, but she couldn't make out the words. She wanted to teach that fat walrus some manners, but her orders were to let things be and not to interfere. How anyone could live with muggles like these was beyond her comprehension. She hoped that Harry wouldn't have to stay there all summer.

~~oo000oo~~

After Harry had eaten, he decided to improve upon his list before he watched the telly. His concerns that he wanted to address most urgently were what to do about the Dursleys and how to remain safe. He also had an urgent need to do something about his clothes. He only had the clothes that he wore today, and while the bathrobe that he was wearing was comfortable, he needed to have something more to wear before he started to put his plans into action. He wanted to address the other things that he heard from earlier that day, but he didn't know what to do about them either. A strange thought came into his head: maybe he could combine his problems. He would have to check it out to see if it was doable.

Harry was never allowed at the Dursleys to watch the telly, unless he did so when they weren't home. The idea that he could spend however much time watching was a bit of a thrill for him. He decided to watch a movie that he had heard about and to think about the other things later. Two hours later, he shut the telly off and decided that he was going to have another soak in the whirlpool and see if he could come up with some questions for Ragnok.

Harry's eyes were drooping when he pulled himself from the tub, and he decided to go directly to bed and wait until tomorrow to think about things again. His head had barely hit the pillow when he was out for the night. He slept well for the first part of the night, but he woke up at 2 AM with a nightmare about Cedric and the graveyard. He got out of bed and walked around the room trying to clear his mind from Voldemort and his rebirth. He didn't think that he was going to be able to go back to sleep again, but he had hours to go before he could do anything. He tried to watch the telly again, but nothing could hold his interest. He was just too upset and stressed to be able to relax. It sounded stupid, but he wondered if relaxing in the whirlpool again would help. He had already used it twice, but he didn't have anything else to do so he tried it again. After 20 minutes, he felt his eyes draw heavy, he got out, dried off and returned to bed, and he fell asleep after only a few minutes. It was nearly 8 AM when he woke up feeling refreshed. Even though he had a nightmare the night before, he was able to go back to sleep and finish having a good night's sleep. He was going to remember about soaking away his stresses and see what he could do about having a luxurious bath available to use.

~~oo000oo~~

Vernon Dursley was still fuming when he arrived at work. The freeloading freak hadn't bothered to come home last night. Well if that is the way he wants to play the game, then Vernon would show him how the game is really played. Just wait until he got his hands on that boy.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry decided to call room service again for breakfast and get dressed while waiting. He wished that he had fresh clothes to wear, but he dressed in what he had from the day before. He had another good meal and left his room. He stopped at the front desk and asked the concierge for the location of a good clothing store. He was told that there was one three blocks away, and Harry decided to walk. The store didn't seem too busy, so Harry entered and started to look around. A saleswoman looked at this sloppily dressed teen and thought about asking him to leave, but since there weren't too many people in the store, she decided to ask some questions first.

"Good morning, sir, may I be of help to you?"

"I need to buy some new clothes, and I don't really know where to begin. I need a few shirts, pants, a very nice suit, shoes, socks and… other things." He really didn't want to discuss his underwear but he hoped she got the idea.

"That amount of clothes is going to be pretty expensive, are you alright with that?" She thought that she might as well get the question answered before she wasted anymore time.

"Yeah, I don't have a problem with that, I can spend whatever I want, and my parents don't mind." Harry thought that he better add that last part. He was picking up on the saleswoman's reluctance and wanted to get her to help him. He had to admit that the way he was dressed was a sure sign that he was little more than a vagrant.

"Alright then, what did you seem to have in mind?" The woman seemed to relax a little and decided that this kid might not be a waste of her time after all.

"I need a few sets of everyday clothes, something to just wear around while doing nothing of importance. I want them to look nice but not too flashy, I don't want bright colors or anything like that. Then I need a business suit that is meant to impress, I know that it is going to be expensive, but there is no other way around that. Then I need shoes and other stuff." Harry thought at the last minute, "I would also like to have clothes that are really comfortable for when I'm studying, I intend to do a lot of studying, and I would like something to relax in."

"That is a pretty big order, so let's get started. Is there anything that you see that has drawn your attention?"

What seemed like days later but was really only a little after lunch, he was through. He said that he would pay whatever it would take to get his suit altered as fast as possible. He was really happy about asking for clothes to study in, he found that exercise clothes were just about perfect. Whoever it was that invented sweat pants and sweat shirts was a genius. The saleswoman was very tactful. When it came time for him to pick out his socks and underwear, he appreciated that a great deal. When it came time to pay, he gawked at the amount for a moment and then added a generous bonus on top for the service. He left wearing a nice pair of black slacks and a forest green shirt after he asked that the rest be delivered to the hotel.

While he was walking back to the hotel, Harry changed his mind and decided to return to Gringotts today, but he needed his list and invisibility cloak first. He hurried to his room after leaving word at the front desk for them to expect to see a delivery of clothes shortly. After grabbing what he needed from his room, he took a taxi near to where the Leaky Cauldron was and used his invisibility cloak to make his way to Gringotts.

Harry started to wait in line at a teller's window when Nearfang approached him.

"You don't need to wait for a teller. I'll be happy to take to you to Varnok again."

"Thank you, Nearfang, I'm in a bit of a hurry."

After reaching Varnok's office he was shown inside the office and was announced.

"Thank you, Nearfang, for your service. I appreciate your help." Harry said.

"That will be all for now, Nearfang, I'll call you when Mr. Potter and I are through." Varnok dismissed Nearfang and was ready for Harry to start. It seemed that Harry had something important to discuss.

"I have made a list of questions, but I don't want to start with them yet. I feel that I need to deal with the Dursleys first. I don't like the idea that they might be able to exert more influence in my life regarding my financial matters. I need to be free from them completely, and that takes precedence over my need for revenge. I want them out of my life before I intend to make their lives miserable."

"That makes a great deal of sense, and I concur."

"If I know my uncle, and I do, he is frothing at the mouth about my not being there, and he is livid that I didn't return last night. He is only going to be more upset tonight when I fail to return. I would like for there to be an emergency board meeting this afternoon or this evening. I want the agenda to be a so-called promotion for Uncle Vernon. I want Grunnings to be marketing something new in some other part of the world, and I want Vernon transferred out of the country within hours if possible. Make him think that he is going to get more money than he can imagine. We can pull the rug out from under him later. Naturally he is not going to take me with him, so he will sign anything that will get me out of his life. I want legal documents made that will do that. Maybe it would be a good idea to have Aunt Petunia at the board meeting so that she can sign the documents as well."

"We can have those legal documents ready very quickly, but we need to know what you want done. Do you want to be legally emancipated or have your guardianship transferred to someone else? Please think about this for a few moments while I make arrangements for the board meeting. I'll be right back." Varnok left the room and returned within a few minutes followed by Ragnok. "I have the meeting scheduled for 7:30 PM this evening."

"I understand that you want to terminate your guardianship with the Dursleys," Ragnok asked Harry, "have you given the matter any further thought?"

"I have tried to think of anyone that I trust enough to be my guardian, and I can't think of anyone. The only person that I trust that much is Sirius Black, and he is a wanted criminal."

"I think your best option is to be declared a legal adult, answerable to no one. I can collect a few favors, and for the price of paying off gambling debts for a certain high magistrate, we can have things nice and legal before the end of the day." Ragnok was smirking at the smile on Harry's face. "The magistrate has nearly a half million pounds of gambling debt that he has no way to pay off. It will be expensive, but you can easily afford it, and you will be free of the Dursleys."

"Do you have any ideas about how to ruin the Dursleys at the same time?"

"Don't worry, we can have as much fun with them as you want. Do you want to be at the board meeting tonight?"

"Can you arrange it so that I can stay out of sight until I'm legally an adult?"

"I'm sure that we can."

"Then I wouldn't miss it." Harry was grinning from ear to ear; he could hardly wait.

Varnok had to leave the office to verify that the Grunnings board room could be used in such a way that Harry could view the proceedings from another room. Otherwise, he would have to move the venue to a different location. While Varnok was busy, Harry had some questions that he wanted to ask Ragnok alone.

"I'm thinking of a plan that could solve a couple of my problems. I have a problem with my safety where I'm staying and also when I want to travel to Gringotts regularly. I want to visit my vaults as you have suggested, and here is my idea." Harry went on to explain what he had in mind, and Ragnok assured him that it was all possible, for a price of course. No one had ever done what Harry suggested, but Ragnok didn't have any objections. Twenty minutes later, Varnok returned.

"I had to move the meeting location to the boardroom of Lilium International, which owns Grunnings. There were some objections by some of the Grunnings board members, but there is nothing they can do to stop it. The Lilium International board members will be there as well. For your information, Lilium International is owned exclusively by the HJP Trust. Your father set it up after you were born. HJP Trust naturally stands for Harry James Potter. The trust was set up to manage some of your assets until you came of age. After tonight, you will be in full control of the trust. It is important for other reasons that Lilium as well as Grunnings are made aware of this fact. It should be a most enjoyable evening, especially if you enjoy fireworks." Both Varnok and Ragnok were smirking crooked grins. They were also going to be watching the monitors in the boardroom. "I'll have a car pick you up at 6:30 this evening and take you to the meeting."

With this news, Harry made his exit and made the arduous journey back to his hotel. When he arrived in his room, he decided to relax with the telly for a while before ordering room service again. He tried a pepperoni pizza this time, along with another Coke. He didn't think that he would ever get tired of pizza.

After a quick shower, he didn't have time for a soak before it was time to leave. He put on his new suit and found that it looked and felt great. The tailor had really done a fantastic job. At 6:15 he left his room and went to the lobby to wait. The same person that was behind the front desk when Harry checked in the day before was on duty, and he had to do a double take to make sure that it was the same scruffy kid who was looking so sharp today. At precisely 6:30 a limousine pulled up in front of the hotel. As Harry headed in that direction, the driver got out.

"Mr. Potter?" the driver asked.

"That's me."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, sir, I'll be happy to take you to your appointment." The driver opened the door for Harry to enter. He didn't expect to see someone else in the car.

"Mr. Potter, my name is Abner Adkins. I'm here at the request of Varnok, I'm a barrister that specializes in corporate law. With your permission, I'll be leading tonight's events, at least until you make your appearance."

"I'm pleased to meet you, I was wondering how this evening was going to work. I'm glad that you are here to guide things along. Is there anything special that I'm supposed to do?"

"I'm glad that you asked. This is a very formal event, don't try to make friends. Most of these people are sharks and will take advantage of you if you do. Don't be too specific in what you intend to do. If you want something done, please ask me to do it for you. I don't want to scare you, but one bad statement can cause a lot of damage. Don't tell people what you think of them even if you are tempted. If you don't like someone, let me know and we can take the proper steps to get rid of them."

"Now I'm even more nervous. I'll do my best to follow your advice. I'll try to remember that it is hard to put a foot in a closed mouth."

The rest of the trip to Lilium International was spent in companionable conversation, and Harry was getting to like Mr. Adkins a great deal. He seemed to be very sharp, and he felt comfortable that Varnok would only send someone capable to help him through the evening.

Upon arrival at a large office building, Harry was shown in through a side door and taken to the office of chairman of the board. As he was guided in, the monitor of the boardroom was activated so he could watch the proceedings. A guard was placed outside the door to ensure that no one was to enter without Harry's or Abner's permission.

It was pretty boring watching an empty boardroom, but before too long, the room began to fill. Harry saw Vernon and Petunia sitting in chairs against the wall with dumbfounded looks on their faces. He was sure that this was going to be fun to watch. Before long, the board members of Lilium were called to order. It was pretty boring calling roll and reading the minutes of the last meeting. It was also uninteresting to listen to call of old business needing to be discussed. It took nearly ten minutes to listen to some old windbag talk just to make himself seem important. Finally there was a call for new business to be discussed.

"Thank you for the invitation to join you this evening, my name is Abner Adkins. I'm a representative of the HJP Trust who, most of you know, owns this corporation. It has come to our attention that there is a very lucrative opportunity that the Trust would like to have pursued. There are talks going on in New York City that are of a delicate nature. It is too sensitive to go into details at this time. Suffice it to say that those of us in the HJP Trust have evaluated its holdings and decided that Grunnings is best suited to expand into this market. I ask you to trust me that in no way will this endeavor negatively impact either Grunnings or Lilium. Either it will work, or it won't. The Trust is confident enough in this venture to act quickly in this matter, otherwise the opportunity will be lost."

He continued, "I ask Lilium to support Grunnings in any way possible in the expansion of the Grunnings' product line. This could possibly mean a reduction in profits due to startup costs. This should be of a temporary nature and will be expected to be recovered within due time. I would be happy to answer any questions that I'm able to at this time."

"I'm Tony Jackson, a longtime board member for Lilium International. Never in my memory has the HJP Trust interfered with the corporations that it owns. Why start now?"

Abner replied, "It is true that the Trust has taken an inactive role in its holdings for more than the last dozen years. Things are about to change within the Trust whereby it will become more active in new pursuits. Again I have to be vague as the change within the Trust is not ready to be made public at this time. It should be announced very soon." Abner had to stifle a grin, they didn't know just how soon it would be before Harry took control.

"I'm Alice Hemstreet, and I have to say that I'm uncomfortable just giving a blank check to Grunnings to pursue something that has yet to be defined. It is too vague of an idea to do without knowing more information"

"I understand your reticence and applaud your caution; however, there is little risk other than some startup capital to get the project underway." Abner was still expecting more trouble, but so far it hadn't happened.

"I'm Douglas Morton, and I'm firmly opposed to whatever this so called project is. Unless it is fully detailed, I cannot support it. I'm also offended that you and the Trust have taken to interfering in our operations. There haven't been any problems in the past, and I see no benefit in changing how things operate." Harry had found one person that he was going to have replaced.

"I'm Thurgood Marshfield, and I concur with my good colleague. There is no justification for the Trust to butt into our business. I vote a resounding no!"

The room broke out in disorder, and conversations were flying. Finally the chairman used his gavel enough to quiet the room. "Mr. Adkins, do you have anything further to say before we vote?"

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I do. I have been authorized to call for an investigation and audit of Lilium International. I have a judge's signed legal order that we intend to implement immediately. We will be starting from the top of the organization and working our way to the lowest worker. Any malfeasance will be ferreted out, and charges will be filed against those who are found culpable. The HJP Trust will not tolerate deception and lies within its organizations. Let me warn you that we have teams of accountants and guards standing by to seize all records, both public and private that have any bearing on the decision making and operation of Lilium International and its subsidiaries." Harry was dumbstruck by what Abner just announced, he had no idea that the goblins were going to take such measures. He would wager that he was left in the dark in this matter just so that he would be shocked. Goblins had a perverse sense of humor.

"Mr. Chairman… Mr. Chairman… Mr. Chairman…," Abner was trying to continue, but there was such pandemonium that it was difficult. "Mr. Chairman, I would like to now call for a vote on my proposal."

The chairman was shocked, he didn't know what hit him, and he didn't know what he could do about it. He knew that some of the board members were creative in what they did, but a full audit was going to be devastating.

"Order... Order… Let there be order!" The room slowly quieted. "I, now, would like to apologize to Mr. Adkins on behalf of the board of governors and state that we may have been hasty in our previous statements to his proposal. I would like to state that an audit seems a little extreme in light of the minor matter of approving an expansion of the Grunnings Drill Company. I call for a vote to approve Mr. Adkins proposal. All in favor, please, raise your hands." Each board member immediately raised their hand, and the motion carried. "Without further discussion, I would like to motion for adjournment. All in favor, please, raise your hands". Again the same hands went in the air, and the Lilium board meeting came to an abrupt close.

Abner Adkins raised his voice and called for a brief recess before continuing with the Grunnings board meeting and that everyone was still required to stay until the end of the evening. He didn't expect that it was going to take long for the Grunnings board to approve anything that he asked for.

During the recess Abner approached Vernon and Petunia Dursley and introduced himself.

"Mr. Dursley, it is a pleasure to meet you, and I have to apologize for the little display that you just witnessed."

"No, no. It's alright. I found it most educational." Vernon still had a shell-shocked look on his face, but he was trying to appear calm.

"You are probably asking yourself why I asked for you to be here tonight. The proposal that I'm about to make to your board pertains to you. I want you to hear what I'm about to propose, so you can have a few moments to consider the offer before the board hears it. We have been watching you very closely and want to offer you a promotion to lead this new endeavor. It calls for a tripling of your salary dependant on sales goals and a twenty percent commission on everything that you sell. This project is so lucrative that there will be plenty of profit left over for Grunnings."

"I'm ready to agree right now. Where do I sign?"

"I'm afraid that it is a little more involved than that. It will mean that you have to move to New York immediately and leave first thing in the morning. Naturally we will pay for your house to be packed up and shipped to you. You will also need to sign a twenty year exclusive employment contract with Grunnings, we simply can't have you leave our employ taking our business model with you and start your own company."

Abner continued, "In our investigation of you, we learned that you are guardian to a troubled young man that could impact your decision. We have taken the liberty to prepare documents releasing your responsibility of the boy. We will take steps to ensure that he is taken care of, so you need not fear for his wellbeing."

"Yes, yes. He is a very troubled young man, and we would be… I mean he would be better off without him… I mean us… he would be better off without us. When can we sign the papers?"

"You can sign them now." He motioned for the magistrate and a court clerk to come forward.

"Mr. Dursley, I'm magistrate Richard Brown. I'm prepared to authorize this release of responsibility as soon as I'm convinced that you are fully aware of what you are doing. Do you understand that you will no longer be his guardian and have no input in regards to Harry Potter's life and well-being, or that you can never make claims in regards to his life and affairs?"

"Oh, yes. Yes, I understand completely and fully agree to the terms. Where do I sign?"

"The magistrate removed the papers that he was given and placed them on the table. Vernon and Petunia signed them immediately, the judge signed as well. The court clerk signed as witness. Abner gave a thumbs up toward the camera. Harry Potter was free. Harry couldn't believe that yesterday morning he was being screamed at by his Uncle Vernon, and now, he never had to see him again.

A few minutes later, the chairman of the board for Grunnings called for order and started the meeting. The usual business of reading the minutes, asking for old business to be discussed (no one had the nerve to speak) and finally the call for new business. Abner was called upon to make his proposal and restated most of what he told the Dursleys. A motion was made and approved, and the contracts were approved without comment.

Now it was Harry's turn, he had made his way to just inside the chamber door and was waiting to be introduced. Abner once again took to the floor and got everyone's attention. "I mentioned earlier in the evening about a change in the HJP Trust. I want to give a very brief overview of HJP Trust history. About 14 years ago, before his death, Lord James Potter created the trust for the benefit of his son, Harry James Potter, ergo the 'HJP.'" Abner was looking directly at the Dursleys and was enjoying their faces. It was a look that he was going to remember for the rest of his life. Harry was watching the Dursleys as well, he had the biggest smile on his face, and he thought that this moment would fuel a massive Patronus.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like announce that the new Lord Potter recently came of age, and I would like for you to meet him and make him feel welcome." Abner started clapping, but there were so many shocked looks that the clapping was lukewarm at best. The idea that a teenage boy was in charge of Lilium International and all of its subsidiaries, plus the other business interests that comprised the trust, was a shock to everyone.

The Dursleys were nearly catatonic. They showed no emotion and couldn't move. Finally Vernon started to turn color and started yelling.

"What is the meaning of this? Is this some kind of a joke?!"

Harry responded "This is no joke, Dursley. My family is filthy rich. Had you treated me better, I might have shared some of it with you, but you will never see anything from me."

"You owe me, boy. We took you in from the goodness of our hearts, and this is how you repay us?"

"You mean the years of abuse, the beatings, the lack of food, and the loads of chores that I had to do while that whale of a son of yours sat in front of the telly eating everything in sight? You mean that goodness?"

"Don't talk to me that way! I won't stand for it!"

"There is nothing you can do. I practically own you for the next twenty years. Everything you get will be from the goodness of MY heart. Oh… I should tell you that you will be leaving in the morning for New York, and your new job will be selling teapots to the Americans. You do realize that very few Americans drink tea, don't you? And the sales quota that you have to meet before you get paid is more than you can ever hope to meet. You should learn to read what you are signing."

"You can't do this. It can't be legal! WHERE ARE THOSE CONTRACTS?!"

"I can assure you that it is perfectly legal, and the contracts have been taken from the building where you can never find them. Goodbye, Dursleys, may our paths never cross again." Harry was going to let them stew in their misery for a few days before he was going to authorize payment to them of just enough money to meet the poverty line. No one would say that he wasn't generous.

Harry approached Abner and whispered in his ear that he would like to have the Dursleys escorted from the building. He also mentioned that he would like to see a couple of the Lilium board members replaced, but it could wait for a few days if necessary. He had written down their names so that he wouldn't forget.

Abner was correct. The crowd of board members was vying for Harry's attention. Harry politely shook hands and smiled and made polite conversation. He remembered Abner's advice about being careful of saying anything of importance, so he mostly talked about the weather and other bland subjects. Whenever anything of substance was brought up, he politely excused himself and mingled with the crowd.

Harry was very glad that he had bought a nice suit; these types of people seemed to be very superficial, and looking good was a sign of importance to them. He didn't know if he was ever going to get used to playing this kind of game, but with the situation that he was in, he knew that he was going to have to get used to it.

Finally, the evening drew to a close, and he could head back to his hotel. Abner insisted that he ride along in the limousine so they could have a talk.

"Harry, I was very impressed with how you handled yourself. You had your fun with the Dursleys and were still able to work your way through the crowd without losing your composure. That is a very good thing."

"I know that I'll have to learn to be good in a business climate, but I find it to be exhausting. I was just thinking that a little over 48 hours ago I was just another student getting off the Hogwarts Express, and now I can hardly recognize my life. I want to thank you for what you did tonight. It was great what you did with the Dursleys, and it was very interesting what you did with the board of governors. I don't think that I'll ever forget either."

"Harry, you paid me very well for what I did, but I have to say that I enjoyed it. If you have the names of those board members that you mentioned earlier, I'll be sure to handle it, although I have a feeling that the audit will take care of the problem for you. I will discuss with Varnok the idea of eliminating the board entirely. Before your trust bought the company from its shareholders and renamed it, it was necessary for a board to oversee the operation to protect the shareholder's interests. With you being the only shareholder, it would be more efficient to eliminate the board and work directly with the CEO." Abner saw a blank look on Harry's face and continued. "CEO means Chief Executive Officer, the one who runs the business on a daily basis. It is a more direct way of interacting and avoids the problems that you witnessed tonight. I'm sure that we are going to work together again, but I don't know when. If you need me again, just ask Varnok, he will know where to find me."

"I would like to ask for one other thing." Harry explained about his worries the Dursleys leaving and came up with a plan. There were going to be a few surprises tomorrow.

It was really late when Harry got to his room, and he immediately got ready for bed. He found that he forgot to buy pajamas, so he had to add another thing to add to his shopping list tomorrow. He had to get up early, as he had to get a lot of things done before the Dursleys left. The Order was sure to find out that they were packed and leaving for a trip, and that Harry wasn't going to be with them. He expected that the Order would start a search to find him, and he wanted to be safely hid away before they did. He was sure that Dumbledore would do anything he could to get the Dursleys back, even though it would prove to be fruitless. He would probably be pushed into either Grimmauld place or the Burrow but he needed to study and learn about his family. He knew that they would never let him visit his vaults to explore what was there. He thought that Ragnok made sense that his family secrets were likely to be important to him. Harry was also intrigued about his family, if Aloysius and Arthurus Potter had such an impact on the Potter family finances, what did his other ancestors concentrate on? Harry felt that he owed it to himself to learn more.


	3. Chapter 3

This is not a work of J K Rowling

A/N:I am not really proud of the first chapters of the story. I decided to publish another chapter to help get people to the good parts.

Chapter 3

Harry had just woken from another nightmare about Cedric, the graveyard and Voldemort. He decided to use the whirlpool again to see if it would work to calm him down again like last night. As he was thinking of the day ahead, he had decided to do his shopping in the muggle world first and then go to Diagon Alley for the rest. The problem was he wanted to buy more clothes but couldn't think of how to carry around a large purchase under his invisibility cloak or while going through other shops. He really needed to shrink his packages in order to make his trip practical. Now that he was an adult in the muggle world, he wasn't sure if that would let him do magic in the wizard world. Harry didn't realize that he was mumbling while he was thinking.

"If I can't do magic, then maybe I could get someone else to do it for me, but who?" Then an idea struck him and he whispered to himself. "Dobby could do it."

Harry jumped when, with a small pop, Dobby was standing just outside the whirlpool. Harry had no intention of calling him, but here he was.

"The Great Harry Potter Sir called Dobby. What can Dobby do for the Great Harry Potter Sir?"

"Dobby, I didn't mean to call you, but now that you're here, I want to ask you a question. But first, I'm not wearing any clothes and I feel very uncomfortable talking to you like this. Could you wait in the other room for a few minutes while I get out of the water?"

"Dobby is happy to do whatever the Great Harry Potter Sir asks of Dobby." With that, there was another pop, and Dobby was gone. Harry quickly left the whirlpool, dried himself off, and dressed in another fluffy bathrobe that the hotel had provided while he was gone the day before. Dobby was sitting, excitedly waiting for Harry, when he emerged from the bathroom.

"Dobby, I need to make some purchases tomorrow, but I can't carry them around with me while I do more shopping, do you think that you could follow me without being seen and shrink them for me?"

"Dobby can doos that for the Great Harry Potter Sir! Dobby is so happy that the Great Harry Potter Sir called for Dobby. Dobby wants to help the Great Harry Potter Sir do anything the Great Harry Potter Sir wantses done."

"Dobby, do you think that we can shorten what you call me. Do you think that you could just call me 'Harry'?"

"Oh no, Dobby could never do that. It would be most disrespectful. Is 'Master Harry' alright?" Harry thought that would be an improvement, and that he could work on the "master" part later. He was just too tired to deal with it in the middle of the night.

"That will have to do for now, thank you, Dobby"

"The Great Har… Master Harry thanked Dobby? Master Harry is so kind and considerate to thank Dobby. Dobby doesn't deserve…"

"Stop. Dobby, I just thanked you. That doesn't make me special. I appreciate your help, and it will make it much easier to do what I have to do."

"Dobby understands, Master Harry. Dobby will doos whatever Master Harry wantses done."

"Alright Dobby, I would like to get started at 7:30 this morning, would that be okay with you?"

"Whatever Master Harry wantses Dobby will doos."

"Alright Dobby, I'll be ready as well." With that settled, Harry was wide awake again. He was glad that he was going to get the help that he needed but he wished that it could have waited until later. With nothing else to do, he returned to the whirlpool and tried to relax and get sleepy again. Twenty minutes later he returned to bed and slept peacefully until his alarm clock woke him. Harry quickly got dressed, had breakfast from room service and was ready a few minutes before Dobby arrived.

"Dobby, could you pack my clothes and shrink them for me?" With a snap of his fingers it was done, and Harry put them in his pocket. He grabbed his notes, folded them and slipped them in another pocket. "I'm going to walk about three blocks to a clothing store and buy some new clothes. After I leave the store, I'll try to find an alley where I'll meet you, and you can shrink my packages for me."

"Dobby will follow Master Harry and doos as Master Harry asks."

"Thank you." Harry heard a sniffle but didn't say anything, he didn't want to deal with how great he was again.

Harry stopped at the front desk when he was leaving and checked out of his suite. He gawked at the bill, he didn't know if you would ever get used to paying so much for things. After living with the Dursleys for so long without any money to his name, spending any amount of money felt strange. After putting the charges on his card, he left and walked to the clothing store.

Since Dobby was going to shrink everything for him he decided that he was going to buy a lot of clothes. He ordered at least a dozen sets of pants and shirts along with another three pair of shoes. He added more socks and underwear and was happy that he remembered to buy pajamas this time. His arms were very full when he left. The saleslady offered to send them to his hotel again but he told her that he had checked out. He indicated that he would hire a taxi to help him get to where he was going and that she shouldn't worry. Harry left with his arms very full and found an alley not too far away. Dobby appeared and shrunk the packages with a snap of his fingers and Harry put them in his pocket.

"Dobby, I intend to go to a grocery store next, do you think that you can shrink and keep frozen what I want to buy?"

"Dobby can doos that Master Harry."

"I'm not sure where a store is, but I'll have a taxi driver help me. Do you want to follow me in the taxi, or do you want to have me call you when I'm there."

"Dobby has not ridden in taxi before, Dobby wantses to go with Master Harry." Dobby was practically jumping up and down at the thought of riding in a taxi.

"When I'm done with my shopping and have paid the bill, I would like you to place a notice-me-not charm on me, shrink my purchase and keep frozen what needs to be. When I reach the parking lot, would you then remove the notice-me-not charm before I get back to the taxi?"

"Dobby will doos what Master Harry asks."

"After getting back in the taxi, I'm going to go to the Leaky Cauldron and go through to Diagon alley. I don't care then if you stay invisible then or not."

"Dobby understands."

Harry did as he told Dobby he would, and the taxi driver dropped him off in front of a large grocery store. He told the driver to wait for him, and he went inside to the frozen food section. He loaded the cart with frozen pizzas and Coke and went to the checkout station. The cashier asked him if he was having a party, and Harry just smiled and told her yes. The rest of the trip went as expected. After the taxi driver dropped him off he quickly passed through the pub and entered the alley without anyone paying attention to him.

It was nearly 11:00 and he had to hurry, the Dursleys should be leaving soon and Dumbledore would be advised that he was missing. That reminded him that he had left most of his things, including his photo album at Privet Drive.

"Dobby, would you go to my old room on Privet Drive and pack all my things and bring them to me? I especially want my photo album."

"Dobby will doos that." With a pop he was gone. Less than a minute later, he heard another pop and Dobby was back with his things shrunken. "Dobby gots everything, Master Harry."

Harry went to Madam Malkins and bought new robes for general wear as well as school. There was no reason to leave all of his school shopping for later. Dobby shrunk the packages again and he continued to Scrivenshaft's Quill shop and bought a large supply of parchment, quills, ink, dicto-quills and some fancy quills that had metal points. They were to write in different handwriting, he didn't know if they would be useful but they looked fun to try.

He next went to a trunk shop where he bought a new trunk large enough to hold his new clothes, a drawer for business papers and a separate compartment for his school supplies. He also added a self shrink option so he didn't have to lug around a trunk when he went back to school. He paid for the trunk and then placed his Scrivenshaft purchases in his trunk along with his other shrunken purchases from earlier, shrunk it and placed it in his pocket.

Harry was looking forward to the next shop, he had been thinking about Terwilliger's Outdoor Shop all day, it was going to be the most important stop of the day.

~~oo000oo~~

Remus Lupin knocked on Arabella Figg's door.

"Arabella, something has happened with the Dursleys, and I need to use your floo to call Albus."

"Oh, dear. Are they alright? Is Harry okay?"

"The Dursleys seem fine. There is no sign of Harry."

Remus went to the fireplace and threw in a handful of floo powder and called out "Headmaster's office, Hogwarts."

"Remus, what a pleasant surprise, is everything alright?"

"Albus, there are three large cars in front of the Dursley house. There are uniformed men loading suitcases into cars and they escorted the Dursleys into the cars. There is no sign of Harry. I don't know what is going on other than it looks like the Dursleys are leaving. I don't know if it is willing or not."

"Stand aside, I'm coming through."

Before Albus came through the cars had left Privet Drive and were on their way to the airport. Albus and Remus walked to the house, unlocked the door and entered. They went upstairs and found the door with all the locks on the outside and Albus wondered about the meaning of that.

"Do you know the meaning of these locks?" Albus looked at Remus.

"This is Harry's room, they sometimes lock him in," Remus said. Albus frowned, he thought that the Order members had been exaggerating. It seems like things were worse than he thought.

Albus looked inside and found a broken desk, chair and a sagging bed. There was no sign of anyone being there recently. He checked for magical signatures and found a recent trace of a house elf.

Albus checked the rest of the house and found the clothes closets empty. Wherever the Dursleys were going it looked like it was going to be for an extended trip. He hurried back to the floo at Arabella Figg's house and called as many Order members as were available and sent them to the airport to try to find the Dursleys. Little did he know that Harry had already thought ahead and had a private jet waiting. The Order was going to be checking the terminals. they wouldn't think to check the private flights. It would take weeks to track down the Dursleys - that is, if they would ever find them at all.

~~oo000oo~~

It was nearly 1 o'clock, and Harry needed to hurry.

"May I help you young man?" The shop keeper asked.

"I would like to buy a wizard tent. I want one of the best ones, and I have a list of features I would like."

"Let me know what you are looking for, and I'll see if I can help you."

"I need a large tent, with air freshening charms, and some way to light the interior so that it is easy to read at night. I want a fully functioning bathroom with a whirlpool, spa, hot tub, Jacuzzi, or something similar. I would like there to be book shelves and a nice desk. I want a fully operational kitchen with an oven, cooker and a way to keep some foods cool and others frozen. If there is some way to have a self stocking pantry, that would be good, too."

"That is quite an order, and it will be expensive."

"That's alright. I'm prepared to pay whatever it takes. I should also mention that I need it immediately."

"Making a tent like that takes a lot of time, a custom order usually takes weeks to prepare." Harry hadn't thought of that and he had so much depending on this purchase. It seemed like his plan was going to be unworkable.

"However," the shop keeper continued, "I have a tent that has what you want in stock. It was ordered by a big game hunter but he was killed while on safari before he could pick it up."

"That would be great!"

"I'll warn you that his taste in decorating might not be what you are expecting. But the tent meets your needs, and it is available immediately. Would you like me to show you what it looks like?"

"How difficult is it to set up?"

"You only need to tap it with your wand, and it sets itself up."

"Then I don't need to see it, I'll take it." Harry knew that time was short so he paid for the tent and left the shop.

As soon as Harry stepped outside, he was accosted by a very unhappy owl. Hedwig had found him and wasn't happy to be left at the Dursleys. She nipped at his ear until it was bleeding and she kept slapping him with her wings.

"Hedwig… Hedwig please stop. I'm sorry that I left you alone. I couldn't take you with me, honest. I haven't forgotten you. I was going to have you come to me." Harry had to make a story up quickly, he hadn't planned to deal with Hedwig and he needed to come up with something quick. "I'm glad that you found me, please come with me girl and we will make everything alright. Okay?"

Hedwig finally calmed down some, her feathers were still ruffled but she had stopped pecking at him and beating him with her wings.

"Dobby, do you think that you could go to Eyelops' Emporium and get some fresh owl food and treats for me, then meet me in Gringotts' lobby?"

"Dobby can do." Harry gave him several galleons and with a soft pop he was on his way to Eyelop's while Harry hurried with Hedwig on his shoulders to Gringotts. When he went inside he was greeted by Nearfang.

"Good afternoon Mr. Potter, would you like me to show you to Varnok?"

"In a few moments I would appreciate that. I'm waiting for a house elf to bring me some things before I'm ready." As soon as Harry finished saying that Dobby came running across the lobby.

"Dobby gots the owls's food and treats like yous asked, Master Harry."

"Thank you, Dobby. Would you please come with me? I have an idea that you might be able to help me with."

Shifting his attention to Nearfang, he said, "I'm ready to see Varnok now."

The trip to Varnok's office seemed shorter somehow. It didn't take long before Harry was seated in front of Varnok's desk.

After some pleasantries Harry started to get down to business. "I don't know how much that Ragnok may have told you. It is my plan to take a tent to the Potter vault and spend at least a few days there, if not longer."

"Ragnok mentioned that to me. That is most unusual, but there are no objections."

"I also would like to make arrangements for my owl to join me. Occasionally I would like to have her take a message for me. Because I won't know when she returns, will it be possible for her to use your owlery, or can I be notified of her arrival so that I can pick her up and return her to my tent?"

"I don't see that as a problem. We can set up a magical bell that will ring in your vault when she returns to the owlery."

"That would be most appreciated. Also I would like to know if it is possible to have a house elf travel to my vault through your wards, perhaps to bring me things or deliver items and messages?" At this Hedwig became upset, it was her job to take messages. She slapped him with her wing to remind him. Varnok smirked at Harry's owl and answered as if nothing happened.

"Bonded house elves are free to bring things to and from a master's vault at anytime. While goblins can't limit the movement of house elves we can stop them from using their magic within the walls of Gringotts. Moving items to or from a vault takes magic so that is prohibited. House elves are restricted by their nature from doing any damage to anyone's property. They are able to visit other people's vaults but are unable to speak of it because of their bonds of secrecy. Most customers with bonded house elves seldom visit their vaults." Harry's head fell, he was hoping that he could hire Dobby to help him to interact with the outside world. His leaving the vault often would be cumbersome and dangerous.

"Well that answers that, Dobby isn't bonded so my idea isn't going to work."

"Master Harry," Dobby interrupted, "Dobby wouldst be most happy if Dobby could bond with Master Harry. Dobby wouldst be very most happy."

"What about your freedom? I thought that you liked being free."

"Dobby is happy to be free of old bad master, but being free isn't fun anymore. The other elves make fun of Dobby and call Dobby names. Dobby would like to be Master Harry's elf." Harry thought about it for a few moments. He knew that he would be in trouble with Hermione, but it would make Dobby happy to be bonded once again, so Harry decided to throw caution to the wind.

"Dobby, will you be my house elf?"

Dobby was jumping and dancing around the office. "Oh yes Master Harry, Dobby wantses nothing more than to be your elf."

"What do I have to do?"

"Master Harry has'd to accept the clothes that set Dobby free." With that Dobby snapped his fingers and the old sock of Harry's that was used to set him free was in his hands.

"Dobby, I accept this sock and your bond to me. If ever you are unhappy with our bond I want you to promise me that you will tell me so that I can free you once again."

"Dobby promises."

Varnok interrupted. "With that taken care of, is there anything else that I can help you with before you travel to your vault?"

"I only need a way to call for a cart to bring me back to the surface when I need to return."

"All of our vaults are equipped with a bell just inside the vault door. Ringing the bell will send someone to pick you up."

"It sounds like I'm all set. Could you have someone take me to the Potter vault please?"

Nearfang entered the office and soon Harry, Hedwig, and Dobby were with Nearfang in a cart speeding down the tracks. Dobby was squealing with excitement, he had never ridden in a cart before and he loved it. Hedwig was not going to show any emotion, she was trying to be regal but it was difficult to do when she was shifting from side to side on Harry's shoulder.

After what seemed to be a long ride the cart stopped in front of vault number eleven. With a prick of blood Harry was recognized as the lord and the door opened without a sound. Harry stood and looked around, the vault was huge, and it was full of books, armor, furniture, portraits, jewelry, mirrors and an assortment of items that Harry didn't recognize.

He turned to Nearfang and asked. "If you would wait for a few moments so that I can make sure that the tent will open properly, I would appreciate it." With that Harry set the tent on the floor and tapped it with his wand. A giant lion's roar accompanied the tent unfolding and forming what looked like a grass hut. Harry was taken aback, but he had been warned. He believed that all the features that he needed were inside so he sent Nearfang on his way and decided to open the curtain leading inside.

~~oo000oo~~

Vernon, Petunia and Dudley Dursley were impressed. Even though it felt like they were heading into exile, at least they were going in style. They were boarding a gleaming corporate jet that looked like it could easily seat twenty people and other than the crew, they were the only ones on board. It seemed that in no time they were rocketing down the runway, and the thrust was much more than a normal airliner. They were held back in their seats and they were at cruising altitude in mere minutes.

~~oo000oo~~

Albus Dumbledore was worried, he didn't know what was happening, but he didn't like it at all. Harry was missing and the Dursleys were gone. There was no word from the airport that the Dursleys had been spotted and he had no idea where they were headed. They could be going anywhere in the world and it was unlikely that they would be found if they were not stopped at the airport. He had put the word out on Diagon Alley for any sight of Harry Potter.

Later the fireplace flashed green and Carol's face from Carol's Candy Shoppe was in the flames.

"Albus!"

"Carol, what can I do for you?" Carol's Candy Shoppe made the most delicious lemon drops, he had been buying them for years.

"I heard that you were looking for Harry Potter. I saw him walking out of Terwilliger's with a white owl and a house elf with him."

"How long ago was that?"

"About an hour ago, I just learned that you were looking for him."

"Can you tell me anything else about him."

"I'm not sure, but it looked like he was carrying a tent."

"Did you say a tent?"

"That is what it looked like."

"Would you mind if I came through?"

"No problem, come ahead."

Albus stepped through, and after he thanked Carol, he made his way to Terwilliger's Outdoor Shop.

"May I help you?" The shopkeeper asked

"I hope that you can. I'm looking for Harry Potter, and I heard that he was in your shop not long ago."

"I did have a young man in earlier, I thought he looked familiar, and now that you mention it, it looked very much like Harry Potter. Hm… imagine that, Harry Potter comes in the store and I didn't even realize him. I must be getting old."

"Yes, yes… we are all getting up there in age. Now can you tell me anything about him."

"He was looking for a tent. He was quite specific about what he wanted. It seemed like he was going to spend a lot of time in it as he wanted all the features. You know kitchen, bathroom, and he wanted a spa of all things. That isn't something that I sell every day. Most unusual in fact, I don't remember that last time that I was asked for one. Of course there was that one in '82…"

"Yes, yes… did he happen to say where he was going?"

"Let me think? I don't think so, I don't think he mentioned it. I did sell him an African safari model. It was a very special tent, not another one like it. Took me a long time to put that one together, it was a real challenge. It was one of my best projects now that I think of it."

"An African safari model you say? Do you remember anything else that might be helpful?"

"No, can't say that I do. Harry Potter you say? I wish I would have paid more attention, I always wanted to meet him. Such a shame."

"Thank you for your time."

"You wouldn't be interested in a very nice Arctic model, it has the best heating charms that I have ever done. You won't find another like it."

"Perhaps another day."

Albus hurried out of the shop and went back to Carol's, he might as well restock his supply of lemon drops while he was here. He needed to know which direction Harry was walking.

After hours of asking shopkeepers and patrons in Diagon Alley, Dumbledore couldn't find a trace of where Harry went, he went back to Hogwarts and decided to call off the search at the airport. It seemed that he hit a dead end. He called for a meeting of the Order that evening to discuss the latest developments.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was a jungle… trees and vines everywhere. The call of jungle birds were echoing throughout the tent, along with the rush of water. He looked to see a small pool of water with steam rising from it and a small waterfall cascading into it. If he didn't know better he would be sure that he was in the deepest part of Africa. It looked like there was a sun in the roof of the tent, he could feel the warmth radiating onto his skin. He really didn't know what to think, this was incredible. There was even grass growing next to the path that he was standing on. At least he thought it was grass, maybe it was artificial, he didn't know. He just hoped that he didn't have to mow it.

Dobby didn't say anything, he just kept looking around. He had never seen anything like it. The plants were completely different from anything that he ever encountered. Hedwig only took a few moments before she took flight and landed in one of the trees. She didn't seem to be upset or surprised at all.

After what had to be at least ten minutes, Harry decided to see what else was in the tent. He followed the path that he was on and slipped between some vines. It was like a whole new world. There was an English styled oak paneled office with a large desk with bookshelves nearby. The floors and walls were covered in stuffed animals and mounted heads; rhino, zebra, antelope, and even a full sized stuffed elephant, standing in the corner. There were so many creatures and animals that he didn't even know some of their names. There was hardly any space between them. It was too much… he was just going to have to change it. He didn't know what he was going to do with the all of them but they were not going to stay.

After leaving the study – at least that was what he called it – he followed a different path and found a short hallway behind more vines leading to bedrooms. Behind the large door at the end of the hall, he found what must be the master bedroom. There was a large comfortable looking bed, but the walls and floor were covered in more stuffed animals and heads. Whoever had this tent built was fixated to say the least. There was no way that he could sleep with dozens of dead animals staring at him. There was a bath adjoining the room and it looked fairly normal other than the zebra patterned wallpaper covering all the walls. A person could get very dizzy in this room, and he was going to have to have Dobby try to change it.

Harry looked in the other rooms off the hallway and found three more bedrooms, each with animals of their own. He also found another bathroom with leopard print wallpaper. Dobby was going to be very busy for days dealing with this… this… he didn't know what to call it, but he knew that the animals and wallpaper had to go.

He left the hallway back into the jungle and took another path that he saw. Again he went through vines into a nice kitchen and dining area. At least this room looked normal. He found the freezer and cooling cabinet, there was a sink, oven, cooker, and a pantry full of food. This was going to be alright after all.

Back in the jungle he found the last room, at least he thought it was the last room, it looked like a lounge with comfortable looking couches and chairs. Again all the walls and floor were covered in animals and heads. The guy must have had serious mental problems, no one in their right mind would ever want to have this many dead animals around. Harry thought that Mr. Terwilliger was very lucky that he came along to buy this tent, because no one else in their right mind would ever touch it.

After having a look around the tent he decided that he better let Sirius know that he was alright. He went back to the study, took out his trunk, expanded it and removed the parchment, ink and quills. He didn't know if he could do magic or if it could be traced through Gringotts, but he wasn't going to take any chances until he knew for sure. After he wrote a short note, he asked Dobby to deliver it. He didn't want to hurt Hedwig's feelings, but he didn't want to have to travel back up to the surface and use her to send it. He told Dobby to take it to Grimmauld Place and leave the note on Sirius' bed. He also thought that he would write a note to Hermione and Ron to let them know that he was okay as well and that he would contact them again in a few days. Tomorrow was soon enough and Hedwig could get some exercise.

Dobby was back within moments and they started changing things. Harry asked Dobby to un-shrink the things from Privet Drive. Harry emptied his old trunk and piled his old clothes up so they could throw them away later. His school books and photo album went into the study. When the trunk was empty, He and Dobby started shrinking animals and heads. As Dobby would shrink them Harry gathered them up and dumped them in the trunk. It took a long time to clear the study and Harry's bedroom. The trunk just barely held all things removed from those two rooms. He didn't know where he was going to find more trunks to empty the lounge and the spare bedrooms.

Without the animals in Harry's bedroom, there was room for some armoires. He went back into the vault and looked amongst the furniture and found what he was looking for. He didn't know how old they were, perhaps they were hundreds of years old, but they would do nicely to hold his clothes. He needed Dobby's help to move the heavy things, but they got them into his room. They took his clothes and robes out of his trunk and put them away. The last thing that Harry did was have Dobby put the pizzas in the freezer and the Coke in the cooling cabinet.

With just a little more work, they would be all set.

~~oo000oo~~

The mood was tense at Grimmauld Place. Harry Potter was missing and no one had any idea where he was. Sirius was beside himself with worry and Remus was not far behind. Molly Weasley was fretting and was flitting around the room offering food and drink to everyone. Tonks was not saying much, after the yelling that she heard on Privet Drive she was very understanding of Harry's need to escape. Nobody should have to live with people like that.

Dumbledore entered the kitchen and sat at the head of the table.

"As you all know the Dursleys left Privet Drive for some kind of a trip. They were being escorted for some unknown reason and we don't know if they left willingly or not. We had our people at the muggle airport but there was no sign of them. Later I had a floo call from Diagon Alley from someone who saw Harry with his owl and a tent."

"A tent! What would Harry be doing with a tent?!" Molly Weasley was nearly yelling.

"Yes Molly, I confirmed that he indeed bought a tent. I spent the rest of the afternoon talking to everyone that I could about Harry's whereabouts. I asked everyone in the Leaky Cauldron if they had seen him pass through and no one had. I checked the travel shops to see if he had bought a portkey and they said they hadn't seen him. I looked for his magical signature to see that he may have side-along apparated and I found no trace of him.

"Albus, do you have any idea at all where he might be?" Sirius asked impatiently.

"All I have to work with is that he bought an African safari tent... I'm afraid that Harry has left for Africa."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sirius wasn't happy. Harry had disappeared, and the only clue was it looked like he was going to Africa. Why Africa? Harry had never mentioned Africa or a safari to him. It just didn't make sense. Remus and he discussed the matter for hours after the Order meeting was over. He wanted to talk to Harry's friends, and see if they had ever heard him mention Africa or not. Other than that, he didn't know what to do. Africa was a very big continent and finding one person would be nearly impossible, especially if he didn't want to be found.

After Remus and he discussed the matter, until they were repeating themselves for the third time, Sirius decided to go to bed. When he started to dress for bed he found Harry's letter. He immediately opened it and read it.

_Sirius,_

_I just want to let you know that I'm safe and nothing has happened to me. To prove that I'm not coerced into writing this, I want you to know that I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good._

_I couldn't take it with the Dursleys anymore, and the opportunity presented itself for me to solve my problem. The Dursleys are out of the country and safe from any danger. I'm nearly certain that no one can find them. Even if they did, the Dursleys have no idea where I am._

_It seemed to me that the only option that was available to me was trying to leave the Dursleys and being dragged back against my will. Even if I were allowed to leave, I would be taken to Grimmauld Place or the Burrow. Then I would be watched so closely that I may as well be imprisoned. I need to be doing something productive with my time, instead of being locked away. You should understand what it is like being held prisoner. You can understand how I felt being at Privet Drive. I found another option and I have taken it. I don't intend to return until school begins._

_If I told you where I am, you would laugh your head off, and you would undoubtedly agree that I couldn't be safer. I don't want to tell you at this point because someone might find this letter, and all my effort would be for nothing. I will have to work on some way for us to communicate. I haven't thought that far ahead yet. Everything has happened so fast that I haven't worked out all the kinks._

_Rest assured that I'm safe, and don't worry, nothing is going to happen to me._

_Harry_

Sirius read the letter twice and felt relieved that Harry was alright. There was nothing in the letter indicating where he was. He didn't know how Harry had pulled it off but he had to give the kid credit, it seems that he managed to hide his tracks very well as well as those of the Dursleys. Maybe he was a Marauder after all.

Sirius thought about showing the letter to Remus after making him promise not to tell anyone else. Remus was very worried, but he had a tendency to think that the Order should be informed about everything. Remus had never broken a promise to Sirius, and showing him that letter wouldn't lead to Harry being found. He decided that he would tell Remus in the morning.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry was famished. He couldn't remember the last time that he ate, but he was ready for supper. He knew just what he wanted. He went the kitchen, opened the freezer and took out a pizza. He read the directions and placed it in the oven. Twenty minutes later Harry and Dobby were enjoying pizza. Dobby had never seen pizza before and he liked it. He also liked the Coke that Harry gave him.

After supper Harry decided that it had been a long day and was ready to get ready for bed. He thought about the whirlpool in the hotel. He realized that he hadn't seen one in either of the bathrooms. Mr. Terwilliger said that the tent was equipped with one, although he didn't say that it was exactly a whirlpool. Harry went into the jungle and looked at the pool and wondered if that could be it. He put his hand in the water and it was the right temperature. Beside the pool there were a lot of buttons to push, he pushed one and the water started bubbling and churning. This was going to be great. He was a little nervous that it was out in the open, but Dobby was the only one around and Harry could keep his back turned.

Wearing a towel after undressing, Harry returned to the jungle and slipped into the pool, it felt great. There was a lot more room than in the hotel and Harry liked it better. After nearly thirty minutes Harry got out looking like a prune, wrapped a towel around himself and made his way to his room. He finished drying himself off, dressed for bed and went to sleep. This night, he wasn't woken up with nightmares.

~~oo000oo~~

"What do you have to report, Severus?" Voldemort demanded. The dark lord had found out that Harry was no longer with his relatives, and immediately summoned Severus in the middle of the night. "I have heard from Diagon Alley that Dumbledore is looking for Harry Potter."

"Potter is missing. The Order has little idea as to where the worthless brat is. The only clue leads to his going to Africa, but no one is any more certain than that. They don't even know if he is there at all. His relatives were taken very quickly from their home, either willingly or unwillingly, and are presumably out of the country. They took all their clothes with them, and it looks like they may never come back. The Order has no idea how to find them."

"It is not acceptable that Potter has gone missing. Keep your eyes and ears open for any information regarding him."

"It will be as you desire, My Lord." With that Severus left the room and returned to Hogwarts.

~~oo000oo~~

Breakfast at Grimmauld Place was quiet. There were only Remus and Sirius today as the rest of the Order was out on assignment or at their regular jobs. Remus was getting more upset about Harry and what problems that he could be in. Each sentence was more frantic than the one before.

"I'm telling you that he is being held by Voldemort and probably being tortured as we speak. We have to do something… anything… anything is better than nothing!" Remus was getting more anxious as time went on.

"Remus, calm down a little, I don't think that this means that Harry is being tortured. Finish your breakfast, and I have something to show you."

"What is it?"

"I'll show you upstairs."

"I'm done with my breakfast. We can go when you are finished."

"Alright, I'm done." Sirius led the way up to the sitting room off from his bedroom."

"Kreacher!"

"Worthless master calls Kreacher. Kreacher must do as worthless master…"

"That is enough, you useless piece of rubbish. I'm going to be talking to Remus in my room. I'm not to be disturbed for the next hour, and you are forbidden to eavesdrop. Is that understood?"

"Kreacher will do what worthless master demands." Kreacher immediately popped away leaving Remus and Sirius alone.

"Why did you bring me here?" Remus asked as he watched Sirius cast an imperturbable charm on the room.

"Remus, you must give me a Marauder's promise that what I'm about to show you is kept secret. You are not to tell anyone."

"What are you hiding?"

"The promise first."

"I give my Marauder's word and I solemnly swear that I'll tell no one about what you are about to show me."

The letter was brought out from a drawer and given to Remus. Sirius watched as Remus read it two or three times.

"It is pretty clear that Harry is not being held captive, but where is he?" Remus asked.

"I don't know, but it is clear that he is safe and not in any kind of trouble. I understand his need for freedom, Merlin knows I understand what it is like being held a prisoner around the Order. Neither Harry nor I are free to do anything due to our circumstances."

"How are we going to get him back if we don't know where he is?"

"Moony, you are not thinking like a Marauder… we don't try to get him back… we find a way to help him."

"Alright Padfoot, we'll do it your way. What do you have in mind?"

"I don't think that there is anything that we can do but wait and watch. I trust Harry to find a way to contact us"

~~oo000oo~~

The morning had brought Harry out of a deep restful slumber, he wasn't exactly sure what time it was since his watch was broken, but he was well rested after a good night's sleep.

The pantry in the kitchen had the basics of what was needed to fix a good breakfast of bacon, eggs and waffles. Now that Harry was fed, he was ready to start his day. After breakfast, Harry decided to leave the rest of the stuffed animals alone. He took Hedwig to the surface to take notes to Ron and Hermione.

"Hey, girl, do you want to make some deliveries for me?" Hedwig came down from the tree in the jungle and landed on Harry's shoulder. He scratched her in all the places that she loved, and he walked with her to the bell by the vault door. Fifteen minutes after ringing it, there was a cart with Nearfang in it.

"Do you need to return to the surface?"

"I need to send Hedwig on her way with notes to my friends, so I guess that I will want to go up and come right back down again."

"I could take your owl for you to Gringotts' owlery, but there will be a fee."

Turning to Hedwig, "Would that be alright with you? Do you need me to come with you?"

There was an indignant chirp, and she flew to perch on the back of the cart.

"Hedwig, I don't want you to wait for answers, just deliver the notes and leave." She blinked in understanding.

Turning next to the goblin, he said, "Thank you, Nearfang, I'll pick her up from the owlery when I hear the bell."

With that, Harry left Nearfang and Hedwig to their tasks and returned to the vault. He decided it was time for some exploring. He walked around, trying to get an idea of where to start in his studies. He decided to start on the far left and work his way around the vault. There were a few shelves of books that were nearly surrounded by furniture, and he decided to start there. The books were on a wide selection of subjects, nothing that really caught his eye. There was one about fighting styles of the fourteenth century, but he thought that he could read that some other time. There was more furniture, armor, and mirrors. He didn't understand why there were so many mirrors, but it was no big deal. He found some more shelves of books that looked interesting. After sorting through some books on politics and banking, he found a book titled: "The Definitive History of the Potters" by Penelope Potter.

Harry spoke aloud a "Wow!' and a single portrait nearby woke up.

"Who goes there?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Drusilla Potter. Now that you know who I am, who are you?"

"Drusilla Potter…? I think I'm your many times great grandson, Harry."

"Harry? I'm pleased to meet you. Can you tell me what year this is?"

"It's 1995."

"I have been in this vault for… 270 years I think. What brings you here?"

"I have decided to learn about my family history. I intend to learn as much about the family as I can in the next few weeks."

"What have your parents told you?"

"My parents died when I was a year old, and I was raised with my muggle aunt. She hates magic, and I wasn't allowed to ask questions. I was told that my parents died in a drunken accident. I didn't even know about magic until about five years ago. No one told me that I had this vault or how old and rich the family is."

"Muggles! That is outrageous! You are going to have to work hard in order to learn about the family in only a few weeks."

"I have brought a magical tent into the vault, and I intend to do just that."

"Where do you intend to start?"

"I'm not too sure. I just found a book called "The Definitive History of the Potters" that looks interesting."

"That is by Penelope Potter, she is my mother-in-law. She knows a great deal about the family history. She has a painting around here near the middle of the vault somewhere. I hope that she has enough magic to be of help."

"Enough magic?"

"That is something else those muggles need to answer for."

"Don't worry, I just took care of them, they aren't going to be an issue from here on out."

"Good. Paintings are imbued with magic when they are painted. When the magic fades then all the portrait can do is sleep. In fact, I'm getting tired and will need to sleep before long. Why don't you read that book and then call out to my mother-in-law and discuss it with her. I'm going to go back to sleep before all my magic is drained again." With that she closed her eyes and was asleep. There had to be some way to get more information out of these portraits. Maybe they could be recharged in some way so that Harry could learn faster. As he was walking to the middle of the vault, Harry thought that he should at least try to find Penelope Potter and see if she could help him learn about the family.

"Penelope Potter?" A portrait of a woman opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Go away, I'm tired." She closed her eyes again, and she was asleep.

He returned to the tent and started to read Penelope's book in his study. Once he started, he found it fascinating. It seems that the name Potter started as just that, a family of potters. The family made pottery and were famous for it. They used their kilns to fire special clay in ways that made the pottery nearly unbreakable. They painted beautiful designs and scenes on the pots and dishes, and the pottery was treasured by kings and noblemen. One of the Potters, Hadley Potter, started using the kilns to make glass. His son Hannibal learned how to use the glass to make mirrors imbued by spirits. They were the earliest talking mirrors.

Harry remembered seeing a talking mirror in his room at the Leaky Cauldron last year, and he seemed to remember the Weasleys had one.

Later, the grandson of Hadley devised a way for someone to look through the mirror from the backside and to move between the mirrors, like subjects can do in portraits. The Potters kept how to do this a very closely guarded family secret. The Potters then used this ability in order to spy and sometimes communicate with whoever was using one of their mirrors. For hundreds of years, the Potter family made and sold their mirrors at very little profit. The mirrors were so inexpensive that nearly everyone had them. The Potters, in essence, were able to spy into nearly every household.

The more Harry read, the more he learned that his ancestors weren't the paragons of virtue that he had previously believed. Much of the Potters' investments were based on information gathered by spying through the mirrors of rich merchants and nobles. There was a family tradition that they would only use this practice on people of questionable ethics. Simply, they were targeting people who often stole from others. The Potters were pilfering from crooks.

~~oo000oo~~

Ron saw Hedwig approaching and was hoping that it was a note from Harry. He took the note addressed to him, and Hedwig immediately took flight. Ron hurriedly opened it and read:

_Ron,_

_I want to let you know that I'm fine and nothing bad has happened to me. My uncle pushed me too far, and I took advantage of an opportunity to do something about it. I know that if I simply left my relatives, the Order would force me back. Even if I got free of the Dursleys, I would be with Snuffles or with you at the Burrow. Not that I don't like to be with you, but I feel that I'm watched twenty-four hours a day and forbidden to leave. I just don't want that. I have things that I want to do and have some freedom to do so. Don't worry, I'm perfectly safe so don't be concerned about me._

_Harry_

Ron put the note down and felt a little better. He couldn't understand what was so bad about coming to the Burrow. They could play quidditch and have a lot of fun. But he did understand about not being able to leave, Ron didn't like it, but he understood it.

~~oo000oo~~

Hedwig caught Hermione napping by the pool and had to land on top of her to get her attention.

"Hedwig! That wasn't very nice. Do you have something from Harry?" Hedwig stuck her leg out for Hermione to get her note. As soon as the note was untied Hedwig took flight.

Opening the note she read:

_Hermione,_

_I know that you are worried about me, and I want to reassure you that I am perfectly fine. I couldn't take it anymore and left my relatives. I have arranged it so that I never have to go back. I know that you think that I'm reckless and should listen to the Order. Maybe I should, but I'm not. There are things that I want to do and I can't do them stuck at the Burrow or with Snuffles._

_Don't worry about me, I will be fine and I will see you on the train._

_Harry_

_P.S. I AM studying, so don't worry about that either._

Hermione didn't know what to think. She couldn't believe that Harry would go against the Order. Didn't he know that they knew best? He could be safe if he was at the Burrow or Grimmauld Place, it was crazy to think that he could protect himself better than that.

Just wait until she could tell him that.

~~oo000oo~~

The Potter family history book was so interesting that Harry spent most of the day reading it. He found that the Potters continued their larcenous practices until this book was written, and probably after. Harry didn't know how much longer the practice went on. He wondered if his father knew anything about it. The book said that there was a manual that detailed how to make the mirrors and how to use them for the nefarious deeds described in the book.

Using the mirrors to help him against Voldemort was the first thing that Harry thought of. He wasn't exactly sure how to do that, but he was going to figure it out. This was too great a weapon not to use it to the fullest extent. Maybe he could learn of Death Eater attacks before they took place. The possibilities were nearly endless.

Harry was so engrossed in the book that he had missed lunch, and it was nearly supper time. He and Dobby had pizza and Coke again, he didn't think that he could ever get tired of pizza, but this one didn't seem as good as the ones he had before.

After supper Harry went back into the vault looking for the manual. He needed to find it. He started to look through every book that he could find. He went late into the night searching and searching. There was a lot of stuff to sort through, and he was beginning to get tired. He found that he was looking through the same stack of books that he tried earlier. He started moving the books that he searched into new piles, he put them on tables and desks and even in other armoires.

It was well passed time that Harry should be in bed. Midnight had come and gone hours ago, but his mind was still so fixated on finding the manual that he didn't think that he could sleep. He decided to take a long shower instead of a soak and went to bed in an effort to relax and get some rest so he could start his search again in the morning. After an hour and a half of no sleep, while his mind was still searching, Harry gave up and decided that he was going to have a soak anyhow. He got out of bed, dressed in a towel and walked into the jungle and to the pool.

As he soaked, his mind started to calm and he asked himself if he were to hide such a valuable manual what he would do with it? He wouldn't leave it in the open mixed with stacks of books. No, he would conceal it in some way that it would be hard to find. He was sure that he would put it in this vault. Only a true Potter could open the vault and it would be safer here than anywhere else. Harry was pretty sure that it had to be here somewhere, somewhere concealed in something. He decided that he would stop looking in the stacks of books and concentrate on other objects. Again he thought of where he would hide it. He had seen ornately carved desks earlier with lots of drawers, maybe it would be in one of them. A hidden drawer! That is where he would hide it. He hoped that he was right. He jumped from the tub and ran from the tent to where he had seen the desks. He didn't notice that he was dripping along the way. He frantically started looking in drawers of the first desk and couldn't see it. He pulled the drawers out of the desk and looked underneath them. This was such a great place to hide it, it had to be here somewhere. He looked at the drawers again and couldn't see anything out of place. On the third desk that he tried, he noticed that one of drawers was a little shorter than the others. He reached his arm into where the drawer had been and he found a hidden latch. Behind a door he found the manual, and he started yelling. He was jumping up and down when some portraits woke up.

"What ARE you doing, young man!"

"Why, I never!"

"How scandalous!"

"Put some clothes on immediately!"

Harry had been so fixated on finding the manual that he had run directly from the pool and he was buck naked. He took the manual and covered himself. His face was as red as a ripe tomato. He hurried as fast as he could back to the tent, passed Dobby, and into his room. He was so embarrassed… he couldn't believe that he had done that. He was going to have trouble facing the portraits in the future. Oh well, he thought, he had the manual, and he would just have to deal with the portraits later. Even with a red face he was still very happy, things were looking up. After a few minutes, his exhaustion became overwhelming and he was coming down from his excitement, he crawled under the covers, and he was asleep when his head hit the pillow.

It was mid afternoon when he woke up. It took a moment to remember what he learned about talking mirrors and how he could use them. He had a grin on his face when he got dressed in his sweat clothes and headed for the kitchen. Dobby was there working on sandwiches and he had baked a cake. Harry remembered streaking past Dobby early this morning and his face started to turn red again.

"Dobby, I apologize for earlier, I didn't mean for you to see me naked, I was just so excited about the mirrors and how to use them that I forgot what I was doing."

"Master Harry shouldn't apologize, Sir. House elves always knowses what their masters are doing. We watches and waits in case we is needed. For years Dobby has always wished to be Master Harry's elf. Dobby has seen you lots and lots of times." Harry's mouth opened, and he was turning red again, he was momentarily speechless and didn't know what to say.

"I… um… guess that is okay then," Harry paused again, "you said lots and lots of times?"

"Lots and lots, Master Harry."

Harry decided to drop the subject, he was still red with embarrassment. He mentally sighed and resigned himself to the idea if that was the way it was with house elves, then he was going to have to get used to the idea, but not right now. The sandwiches and cake were just what he needed, he was now well rested and his stomach was full again. He was ready to head to his study and read the manual.

Potions in the reflective coating on the back of the talking mirrors, and some charms, were the secrets that were needed to make the mirrors work. The directions for making the potions were difficult, but he thought that he could do it. He wished that he was better in potions, but he was determined that he would learn how to do these. The charms seemed easy enough. With what he learned, the Potters before him were able to make hundreds of mirrors in a week's time.

Instructions as to how to enter the mirrors were going to be easy. The mirrors in the vault were mostly master mirrors. The Potters used to have a master mirror in each of their homes, but they had been brought to the vault for safe keeping. A mirror had to be in a dark room so that light wouldn't show in the back of the mirror, and there was a simple incantation to activate it. Once the mirror was activated he only needed to speak the name of who he wanted to see. It was recommended that he use the invisibility cloak or stay well back from the mirror so that he could hide and not be seen. The spirits of the mirrors obeyed the commands of whoever controlled the master mirror. The spirits normally left while the master mirror was in use, unless they were called back for any reason.

That is how the past generations of Potters had gathered secrets. It all seemed simple enough, and Harry was anxious to start.

One of the spare bedrooms could be used for the darkened room, but the taxidermy still needed to be cleared out. Dobby went into the vault and found another trunk that he could empty. Harry was a little nervous about facing the portraits again. He knew that he was going to have to sometime, but he was going to put it off for as long as he could.

After the stuffed animals and heads from one of the bedrooms were in the trunk, he decided to clear the lounge as well. It would be more comfortable to read in a chair or lying on a couch than to use the study all the time. With that done it was time to move a mirror into the spare bedroom. He didn't know how elf magic might affect the charms and potions on the mirror, so he thought that it would be best to move it manually for now.

Harry and Dobby very quietly entered the vault area and selected a large full length mirror on a stand. They lowered it over and each grabbed an end to carry, when part of the frame dropped on Harry's toe and he yelled 'Ouch'. That was enough to wake the portraits again and they started chastising him, one even called him a pervert. His face turned red again, and they headed back to the tent as quickly as they could.

Once they were in the spare bedroom, they were sure to block any light from entering the room and Harry was ready. He put on his invisibility cloak and spoke softly, "Visum speculum,… Sirius Black." There was a little blur and then Harry could see through a small opening into the sitting room of Grimmauld Place. He could see Sirius sitting on a couch reading. It looked like Sirius was alone, but he decided to wait a little while to be sure. After ten minutes, Harry took off his cloak and called out.

"Sirius."

"Who's there?" Sirius was looking around the room but couldn't see anyone. It had sounded like Harry, but he could see no one. "Harry? Are you under your cloak?"

"Sirius, look in the mirror." Sirius saw Harry's reflection and couldn't believe it.

"How are you doing that?"

"I'll tell you in a minute. Can you lock the door and silence it?" Sirius did as he was asked and then looked back in the mirror.

"Is it really you, or am I having a hallucination?"

"It is really me. We are looking at each other through a mirror, and I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." Harry was grinning from ear to ear."

"I thought only my mirror could do that."

"It is an old Potter family secret. I just found out about it yesterday and you are the first person that I have contacted."

"I'm so glad that you are here. Magic can do strange things, but this is incredible."

"Sirius, I trust you, but I need you to swear that you will keep this a secret. I'm not ready to tell anyone else right now."

"As a marauder, I solemnly swear that I won't tell anyone without your permission."

"I do have some things to tell you. I'm studying the Potter family history in the Potter vault. I got permission from the goblins and brought a tent into the vault, and I'm staying here for the foreseeable future."

Sirius doubled over in laughter. It took a few minutes before he was calm enough to talk again.

"When you wrote that you were safe and that I would laugh my head off when I found out, you were absolutely right. That is a brilliant idea."

"I thought so. How is everyone taking my disappearance?"

"About as you would expect, only better. Dumbledore found out that you bought a tent."

"Does he suspect where I am?" Harry was a little panicked.

"Nope. He found out that you bought an African safari model tent, and he thinks that you're in Africa." This time it was Harry that doubled over in laughter. Sirius had joined in, and it took a few minutes again for them to compose themselves.

"I want you to understand that I fully support your adventure, you're safer than you would be anywhere, and you are where you want to be. Are you learning anything?"

"So far I have only been here for a couple of days, and I have only scratched the surface. But if I don't learn any more than I do now, these mirrors are enough."

"Have you thought about what you are going to do with them?"

"I was thinking that I would try to spy on Voldemort and the Death Eaters. I can hide in a mirror and see if I can learn about any attacks before they happen. Maybe I can figure out how to get word to you so that something can be done."

"I don't know how I'm going to be able to explain how I know such things, but we will figure out something."

"Do you know anything about portraits losing their magic? Can something be done? I have loads of portraits that I would like to talk with, but they are too weak to speak for long."

"I don't know very much about that. The old Black portraits are not something that I want to deal with. I would rather that they stay asleep or be destroyed. Do you want me to find out what I can?"

"That would be great, I'm going to ask the goblins too, maybe they have an idea."

"That's a good idea…" Sirius paused for a moment, "I hear someone in the hall, I have to go. Can we meet again at the same time tomorrow?"

"I'll be here." With that Harry uttered, "Stareé in speculo". With another blur, the view into the mirror ended. Harry was pleased beyond belief, he knew he had a weapon against Voldemort. He didn't feel as helpless as he did after the graveyard.


	5. Chapter 5

This story is not a work of J K Rowling

Chapter 5

"Come in Severus, care for a lemon drop?" Dumbledore bit down on a lemon drop and made a sour face.

"No, thank you, headmaster, you wanted to speak with me?"

"Did you find anything useful from Voldemort?"

"The Dark Lord has heard that Potter is missing, it appears that he has no idea as to where he is. I was told to watch and listen for anything about his whereabouts."

"That is some good news at least. Is there any possibility that a Death Eater has captured him and is waiting to turn him over?"

"It is well known that the Potter brat belongs to the Dark Lord. There would be pain and suffering if he found out that someone was going against his orders. Do you have any more clues as to where he is hiding?"

"I'm afraid not, I have put the word out to anyone in magical transport to watch for him, but I haven't heard anything yet. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger each received a short note stating that he had 'solved' his problem with the Dursleys and was in hiding. He indicated that he didn't want to go to the Burrow or Grimmauld Place."

"Just like a spoiled brat, causing problems for everyone just because he doesn't get his way."

"Now, Severus."

~~oo000oo~~

After talking to Sirius, it was time to eat, and he and Dobby had pizza again. Harry finished off the evening by re-reading the history book of the Potters, and he read the mirror manual again. The first time he had gone quickly over the material, and now he thought that it was important to read it more thoroughly, he especially wanted to know how to handle the spirits that inhabited the mirrors. He was going to have to venture back out into the vault tomorrow for more books, but that could wait for morning.

After staying up so late the night before and sleeping until mid-afternoon, Harry wanted to try to get back on schedule. It was difficult to tell easily whether it was day or night in the vault. The 'sun' in the ceiling of the jungle was on all the time, and he didn't know of any way to turn it off. Each of the other rooms had bright lamps and lanterns that could be turned on and off at will. Even the light in the vault was on all the time and it was easy to get day and night confused. Without a watch he had to rely on Dobby to tell him what the time was. He really wanted to get a watch and maybe some clocks to put around the tent.

Shopping for a watch and clocks was going to be difficult, it wasn't safe in Diagon Alley so that left the muggle world. He would have to use his invisibility cloak again to walk out of Gringotts, down Diagon Alley and out through the Leaky Cauldron. That was getting old. He was going to ask Varnok if there was a better way. Surely going through the Leaky Cauldron wasn't the only way out of the magical world.

Needing to go to bed when he had only been up for a few hours was going to be difficult. He decided that a soak in the pool would help. He went to his room, undressed and grabbed a towel. He thought about what Dobby had said, but he still wrapped a towel around himself. He wasn't sure that he would ever be comfortable with the idea but figured that he was going to have to get used to it eventually. After a really long time in the pool he got out, dried off and went to bed.

He drifted off to sleep after a while and slept lightly for some time but woke up with another nightmare. Voldemort was laughing at him again in the graveyard and Harry couldn't find the cup. No matter how long he searched or how many times he tried to summon it, he just couldn't find it. A green bolt of light hit him and then he woke up in a sweat. He was shaking while he tried to calm down. Telling himself that it was only a dream was not working. He laid there counting his deep breaths as a means to bring himself under control. He knew that he had things to do tomorrow and wanted to be well rested. He did the only thing that he could think of and returned to the pool.

As he lay there with his head on the edge he could feel the warmth on his face from the 'sun' overhead. He decided to set up on the side of the pool and feel the warmth on his back. Between the pool and the 'sun' he eventually returned to bed and got another three hours of sleep before he woke up.

Planning to go to the surface today caused him to dress in nice slacks and shirt. Entering the kitchen Harry found that Dobby was already there fixing breakfast.

"Good morning, Dobby."

"Good morning, Master Harry, would yous be liking breakfast?"

"Yes please," Harry said as he sat at the table, "could you tell me the time?"

"It be seven o'clock in the morning, Master Harry."

"That's good, that will give me just enough time to get ready. I'm going to go up to the surface today. Would you come with me while I do some shopping?"

"Dobby be happy to doos whatever Master Harry wantses, Sir."

With breakfast over, Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak and some notes that he had prepared. He and Dobby left the tent and rang the bell next to the vault door. About fifteen minutes later, Nearfang arrived in a cart ready to take them back to the main bank. Dobby squealed with delight on the trip and Harry smiled at the exuberance of his friend. At the conclusion of the trip Nearfang escorted them to see Varnok.

"Good morning, Harry. How has your stay been?"

"Very good so far, it has taken a little while to get used to it, but I'm happy so far."

"That is good to hear. What can I do for you this morning?"

"I have some questions that I hope that you can help me with."

"I'll try my best."

"My first question is about my magic. Can the Ministry detect underage magic in the vaults?"

"No, they cannot. Goblin territory is off-limits for such Ministry intrusion."

"That's wonderful news. Next question. Can I get a subscription of the Daily Prophet brought down to my vault?"

"There will be a charge for doing so, but it can be done."

"I'm willing to pay for that to happen. My next question is about portraits, there are loads of them in my vault, but they have lost a lot of magic and sleep nearly all the time. I want to spend a lot of time talking to them and need some way to recharge them or make them active again."

"We have goblin artists that sometimes work on portraits. I'll ask them for information, but you might want to look at other wizard painters."

"That is going to be hard to do with so many people trying to find me. I'll figure out something, and I appreciate any information that you can find out."

"Did you have more questions?"

"Yeah, I told you a few days ago that I had given my key to Mrs. Weasley last year so she could buy my school supplies. Just how does that work when someone other than the vault owner uses a key that doesn't belong to them?"

"Gringotts assumes that if a key is in the possession of another that it was given willingly and withdrawals can be made."

"Does that mean that I can make withdrawals with anybody's key that I might have?"

"Yes, it is the responsibility of the vault owner to keep their keys safe. Gringotts is not in the business of monitoring their clients' irresponsibility."

"The last question is about access to the muggle world. Is the passage through the Leaky Cauldron the only way? Is there anything better without apparating or using a portkey?"

"If you are worried that someone will trace your apparating signature or portkey use, you might be interested to know that goblins don't use the Leaky Cauldron. We use our own portkeys that are untraceable by wizards. I would be happy to sell you one of these portkeys whenever you want."

"Could I get one now? I would like to buy a watch and maybe some clocks for my tent."

"I'll arrange for it immediately, next time you may ask Nearfang and he will help you."

The conversation concluded and Harry left with his portkey. It was set to take him to a shopping district that had a watch and clock shop along with a wide variety of other stores. He went to the "Golden's Clock and Watch Shoppe" first and looked around a bit before he was approached by a salesman.

"My name is Eric, may I help you find what you are looking for?"

"I would like to buy a watch. I don't want a battery powered one, but I want it to keep time very well."

"How much would you like to spend?

"I don't really care, if it what I want it can be expensive." With that the salesclerk took him to the high end of the store. "This watch is a Rolex, many think this is the best watch in the world. It comes with a lifetime warranty. This particular watch is an automatically wound watch which winds itself by the movement of your arm. It is platinum plated with small blue diamonds on the face of the dial, and can be used underwater to a depth of 300 meters. It has a date display, and it is built to last a lifetime."

"What about that one. It seems to have more hands?"

"That watch is designed for a yachtsman, it is eighteen karat gold and has a sophisticated chronometer. Think of it as a watch with a built in stopwatch. It is also automatic wind." Harry looked around a little more. "What about that watch over there?"

"That is another Rolex, it is our most expensive watch that we carry, it is also in platinum. It too is an automatic wind with the day of the week and the day of the month features along with the standard time function."

"They all sound good, I'm having trouble deciding which one I like the best."Harry thought about it for a while and realized that he didn't have to pick one. "I'll take all three."

The salesclerk was shocked but didn't let it show. With a little calculation on a small piece of paper he responded.

"You do understand that you are looking at 96,000 pounds for all three watches?"

"That's okay, do you have any clocks?"

"Right this way."

After picking out four clocks to add to his purchase he handed the salesman his card and selected which watch to wear out of the store. He had his clocks loaded on a trolley while he told the salesman that he could handle it from there and pushed the trolley down the street to an alley where Dobby shrunk them so Harry could put them in his pocket.

Harry decided that he wanted to walk around a bit before he went back to the vault. He passed a theatrical shop that had a display of makeup. He decided to go in and look around, he was just killing time before he returned.

"Maybe I can help you, are you looking for something in particular?"

Harry thought quickly and replied. "I'm going to a party, and I was hoping to find a way to disguise myself."

"I'm sure that I can help you. We just happen to employ a makeup artist that may be able to assist you."

"I think it would be fun to see what can be done. What do I need to do?"

"Follow me." He was taken to the back of the store. "Janelle!" When a thirty something year old woman came out from behind a curtain the clerk continued, "this young man is going to a party where he doesn't want to be recognized, do you think you could help him?"

"Sure thing, why don't you sit here in this chair and let me get my kit." A few moments later she was back and had him turn his chair toward a mirror. "Do you have any particular way that you would like to look?"

"Not really, I don't want to stand out too much, and I don't want to be recognized."

It only took twenty minutes for Harry to see a face with a tousled blond wig, a lightly suntanned complexion and long blond sideburns with a mustache to match. He thought it was a different person that he was looking at. Other than his glasses and green eyes he would never know it was him.

"It has been a long time since I had my eyes checked, do you know of a good optometrist that could fit me with contacts today?"

"I would go left down the street about four blocks to Clear-Eye Optometry, I'm sure that they can fix you up. If you do something with your eyes I can guarantee that nobody will ever know that it is you."

With that Harry paid for a generous supply of makeup and another wig and accessories, this time in brown. He was so glad that he had decided to stop at the spur of the moment. This was going to be fun to get around Diagon Alley without being recognized.

The optometrist was able to get him contacts in color as well as plain. It took nearly three hours to get what he needed. It sure felt funny to see properly and not wear glasses. It was well past time for lunch, so he decided on burgers and fries. He whispered to an invisible Dobby what he was going to do and asked if he had ever had them before. He got an excited whispered 'no, Master Harry'."

He entered the first fast food place that he saw and ordered two burgers with a large order of chips and two Cokes. The girl behind that counter didn't pay any attention that Harry was alone. She was too busy taking orders to notice. After getting his order he found a table with two chairs and asked Dobby to cast a notice-me-not charm. Dobby was excited again to try something new. After the meal, Harry and Dobby activated the portkey and returned to Gringotts.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Potter, are you ready to return to your vault?" Harry had still been wearing his disguise and was disappointed to be recognized.

"How did you know it was me?"

"We here at Gringotts have to know our clients. We take no chances with security."

"Do you think that this disguise will fool others?"

"They are humans, most are easily fooled. I don't think that you will have a problem."

"That is good… I think." Harry wasn't sure if he had been insulted but decided to let it go. "I need to pickup Hedwig from the owlery first."

It seemed like the trip back to the vault didn't take as long as the last time. He wondered if they hadn't taken a different route. He found some issues of the Daily Prophet outside the vault door but decided to read them later after he did a few things. Once inside his tent he decided to take off his disguise and take a shower to get rid of the makeup. He dressed in some sweat clothes and he took his purchases out of his pocket and placed the clocks where he wanted them. He used his own wand to enlarge them, it felt good to do magic again. He had bought two grandfather clocks and two wall clocks. The sales clerk said that they would last a week between windings. He put his other two watches away and stowed the makeup and wigs in a drawer of an armoire in his room.

He took the copies of the Daily Prophet into the lounge and started reading. There was his picture on the front page with the word 'Lunatic?' above it.

_Harry Potter, the dubious winner of the Tri-wizard tournament, has sought even more attention by making outrageous claims that You-Know-Who is back. One of our most respected mind-healers told the Daily Prophet that now that the tournament was over and Mr. Potter would no longer be in the news, Mr. Potter was doing anything he could to be noticed. He went on to say that it is common that people with delusions of grandeur to often act out, looking for ways to stay the center of attention._

_Minister Fudge gave a press conference where he encouraged Mr. Potter to ask for help. "It is a sad day when one finds such a troubled youth crying out for help. It is my fervent desire that he can find the path to recovery."_

_We here at the Daily Prophet would like Mr. Potter to seek professional help. With enough time he may regain his sanity._

The article went on to libel him and Dumbledore viscously. There wasn't one word of truth anywhere in any of the articles. Harry was furious and didn't know what to do. Fudge was an idiot and was doing everything to hide the truth. Harry didn't know if he was just unwilling to believe that Voldemort was reborn, or if he was intentionally sabotaging the effort to warn people and take action to fight him. Either Fudge was going to act responsibly, or Harry would do everything in his power to get him out of office.

Harry looked at the clock and found that he still had an hour before he agreed to talk to Sirius. He didn't have anything in the tent that he hadn't read, so he decided to venture into the vault and find some reading material. He left the tent and walked to the books that he looked at when he was looking for the manual, this time he looked at the covers more closely. There were two books on charms that looked interesting and he set them aside. He found a book on alchemy that looked very difficult, but he thought that it wouldn't hurt to skim it at least.

While moving furniture, he came across another trunk. He looked to see how to open it and ran his hand across the clasp to feel for some kind of a latch or something. He felt a sharp prick poke him in the palm of his hand. The trunk opened as he said 'Ouch' again. He knew that it was the wrong thing to do as he woke the portraits.

"Who is it…? Oh, it's you again. You look different with your clothes on."

"It's the pervert again! Are you here to flash your goodies again?"

"You DO have clothes to wear. You should do so more often."

"Humph, what our family has fallen to. I never thought that I would see the day."

"OKAY, OKAY, I'm sorry that I did that! I told you that I was so excited to find the manual for the mirrors that I wasn't thinking. I was tired… and stuff like that…" his voice trailed off. Harry didn't know what else to say. He wondered if he was ever going to live it down.

Then he added, "I'm sorry that I woke all of you."

"Trying to sneak around then, Eh?" One of the portraits accused.

"I was just looking for some reading material, I need things to study while I'm here."

"We could help you but maybe we should wait for a different Potter."

"I'm the last Potter, there is no one left but me."

"That is discouraging, I guess that we will have to make do." There were mumbles from the other portraits but no more insults - no direct offers of help either.

It was time to call Sirius again. Harry hurried to what he was now thinking of as the mirror room, covered himself with his cloak and spoke softly, "Visum Speculum,… Sirius Black." The mirror blurred once again, and he was looking through a small opening into the sitting room at Grimmauld Place. Harry looked around and saw Sirius reading again. Harry took a couple of minutes to make sure there was no one else in the room and called out.

"Sirius."

"Pup! You're right on time."

"Did you lock and silence the door again?"

"Sure did. What happened to your glasses?"

"I ventured out into the muggle world to buy some wristwatches and clocks. While I was out I ran across a theatrical shop, and they had a makeup artist that gave me a disguise that I think is foolproof except for my glasses and eye color. So I went to a muggle eye doctor, and he sold me colored and clear contact lenses. I can see a lot better, and I bet that you won't recognize me in my disguise."

"Are you sure that you were safe? It can be dangerous out there by yourself."

"I went to a totally random location deep in the muggle world. I was only visible in the store that I bought my watches and the short walk to the theatrical supply store. After that I was in disguise."

"I just want you to be safe, be careful."

"I don't have any more trips planned, but if I do, it will be in disguise."

"I guess that is the best we can do."

"Have you found out anything about my portrait problem?"

"Nothing much yet, I told a few people I wanted to work on some old portraits of mine, but I didn't get any solid leads yet."

"I asked the goblins the same thing, and I'm waiting for information from them as well."

"Harry, I don't know if you will approve, but Remus was worrying a lot about you, so I swore him to secrecy and showed him your letter. At first he thought about finding some way to bring you back, but I think I have convinced him to help you instead."

"There wasn't anything too revealing in my letter, and with his silence it's alright. I don't want too many people knowing, but I think that we can trust Remus."

"I want you to consider bringing him into your other secrets as well."

"Why?"

"There are two reasons. First, if you find information about a Death Eater attack, then it would be easier to explain that Remus heard it somewhere out in the real world. I can't think of a way to explain how I would hear something being cooped up in this mausoleum. The second reason is following up on any leads about your portrait problem. Even if I get a good recommendation about someone that could help, I can't go to see them myself."

"I guess that makes sense. Remus does have a lot more freedom, and it would be very helpful to have someone on the outside to do the things that neither of us can do."

"So we are agreed?"

"Yes, I think that we need to bring Remus in to help. How soon can we tell him?"

"I saw him about a half hour ago reading alone in the library, I could get him here in a few minutes."

"Let's do it then." With that decision made, Harry waited ten minutes until Remus came into the room.

"Sirius, what is so important that you dragged me in here like this?" Sirius ignored Remus for a couple of minutes while he relocked the door and silenced it again.

"I believe that it's Harry's story to tell."

"Harry? How can it be Harry's story?"

"Hello, Professor."

"Harry? Where are you?"

"Look in the mirror."

"What? Harry! How are you doing this?"

"Remus, it's not that I don't trust you, but I want you to swear that you won't tell anyone about me and what you are about to hear."

He paused for a moment and sighed. "Sirius already had me swear about the letter. I might as well do this too."

Remus swore himself to secrecy and Harry filled him in to what Sirius already knew. Remus laughed when Harry told him about staying in Gringotts while the Order thinks he is in Africa. When it got to the part of helping him with the portraits he had more to say.

"Remus, I know that your pride means a lot to you and you don't accept charity, but I want to ask you to put it aside for a while. I need someone that can mingle with the upper crust. I'll need you to look the part if you have to deal with artists, lawyers or some politicians that I'm angry at. I'm going to have a pouch with an Undetectable Extension Charm filled with galleons along with muggle money and a muggle credit card that's tied to my vault."

"Harry, I don't want your charity."

"It's not charity, this is an investment in you so that you can work on my behalf. I want you to buy the most expensive new robes and muggle business suits. You need to look the part of money. I found that I'm very rich, and I intend to spend whatever it takes to get what I want and to fight against Voldemort. I don't know if I'm going to have to bribe politicians or not, I don't care if it is against the law. I'm going to fight him with everything that I have, including all the money I have. If I die fighting that maniac, then all my money isn't going to do me any good."

"I don't feel very comfortable spending that kind of money on myself, but I'll do it. You make a very good argument."

"Way to go, Pup! I have been trying to get this old wolf into new robes for a long time." Remus gave Sirius a dirty look but didn't say anything.

"You and Sirius will have to come up with some story to tell the Order explaining the new robes. You aren't Marauders for nothing." Harry gave them a grin as they had to think about that and changed the subject.

"Do you two have any ideas about fighting the Daily Prophet and Fudge?"

This question led into a long discussion, but didn't yield any results. After what seemed like hours, Harry was ready to leave the mirror.

"Guys, this mirror is really great, but I haven't found a way to sit down while using it, and I'm getting tired. I don't think that we are going to have many answers tomorrow, but why don't I check back with you for a few minutes tomorrow at the same time?"

"That sounds like a good idea to me." Sirius said.

"Me too, I'll pick up the money at Gringotts tomorrow and get busy on what we discussed."

"Sounds good. Good night, guys." With that Harry signed off. He was happy that Remus was on board, but he hoped that he wasn't going to have to bring anyone else into his secrets.

Harry signed off the mirror and joined Dobby in the kitchen, and they had pizza again. Harry had to admit that it didn't appeal to him as much as before. After dinner he took his charms books into the lounge and settled in to read for the rest of the evening.

After two hours of reading Harry thought that it had been a long, busy day. He was getting tired and should go to bed. Following the pattern he set over the last several days, he went to his room, undressed, grabbed a towel and started to wrap it around himself. As he was doing that, he realized that Dobby was probably watching him right now. Dobby said that he watched and waited for Harry to need him. Harry sighed and thought that he might as well get over his embarrassment and go as he was. As long as Dobby was around, he wouldn't have privacy anyhow. He was a little red in the face as he went to the pool, it still felt weird, but he did it anyway. He laughed when he wondered what the portraits would say.

While soaking he tried to get his mind to relax, but it kept coming back to the Daily Prophet and Fudge. He soaked for a very long time, but he still didn't have any answers about what he could do. He needed to do something but he wasn't sure what, as long as the Prophet kept printing lies then there was little he could do. Harry was turning into a very wrinkled prune and decided to go to bed, he told himself that he would worry about it in the morning.

The night wasn't good for him. He had a long nightmare that he couldn't escape: he kept seeing Cedric's lifeless eyes and heard Voldemort's laughter. He dreamed about the awful fetal thing that Wormtail dropped into the cauldron and his hoping that it would drown. He watched in horror as Voldemort rose and looked straight at him. Harry relived nearly all parts of his time in the graveyard, he was exhausted when he woke up with his bed, drenched in sweat. He was breathing hard and tears were streaming down his face. He got up, grasped his wand, and charmed the bedding dry. He got out of his soaked pajamas, deciding to try the pool again. A little calmer, he dressed in sweat clothes and went to his study. If Voldemort was so fixated on him, he needed a plan to face him better in the future.

After an hour or so, an idea stuck, and he wondered why he hadn't done it before. He went to the mirror room, hid under his cloak, spoke the incantation and called out "Cornelius Fudge." The mirror shimmered but nothing happened, he called out again, and it still didn't work. 'There must not be a mirror where Fudge is' Harry thought. Then he tried "Lucius Malfoy." The mirror blurred again, and a dim room swam into view with the sounds of soft snoring. Harry could only see one person in the bed, evidently Narcissa had her own room. It figured. Harry tried "Draco Malfoy." He found another room with Draco sound asleep. Harry noted the nightlight. It was funny to think that Malfoy had to sleep with a light on. Harry whispered "Stareé in Speculo" and went to the lounge and read his books until morning.


	6. Chapter 6

This story is not a work of J K Rowling

Chapter 6

Harry was on his way to see Ragnok, and he hoped that it was going to be a productive trip. After being admitted to Ragnok's office, he got right to business.

"I'm fed up with the Daily Prophet and want to do something about it. I want to know who owns it and what it would take to buy it."

"Harry, that will take some time… if you will wait for me for a few minutes I should have the answers that you need." Ragnok left the room and came back with a very thick leather-bound ledger. "Open the book to any page and take a look."

"I don't know what I'm looking at."

"If you would look at the top left or right corner on the page you will see the name of one of your accounts. For example, you are looking at the account for the Earl of Wickham. This account's various holdings are listed alphabetically, some are properties, some are commodities and some are stocks that you own. Each entry is accompanied by profit and loss statements for the last twenty years. Our account managers use similar ledgers for each individual account to determine what investments need attention and the trends that the investment is following. This is the master ledger that I use to combine all of your holdings. In the back of the ledger is a magical index that lists each asset and how much each of your accounts own. Turn to the back and look until you get to the 'D's' and then for 'Daily Prophet' then you should be able to determine how much stock you own, if any." Harry did as he was asked and found that the Overton estate owned six percent and the Potter account owned five.

"It looks like the Lord Overton account owns six percent of the Daily Prophet and the Potter account owns five."

"Harry, I can see that you are disappointed and I'm sorry that you got your hopes up like you did, but there is a point to learn here. If you were to look at the profit and loss statements of the Daily Prophet over the last twenty years you would find that it is a bad investment, it doesn't return a profit. I intend to ask the Overton manager why he kept this stock when it doesn't perform well. There is also the issue that the Daily Prophet stock rarely comes up for sale. A group of families have owned the majority of the Daily Prophet stock for generations. They are not looking for profits, instead they use it for their personal gain. "

"How could they have gains if the Daily Prophet doesn't make any money?"

"They use the newspaper for nefarious deeds. For example, if false reports about the financial stability of someone are printed in the financial section of the Daily Prophet, then it makes it harder for that person to borrow money, work with his partners or operate his business. Often the damage that is done is so great that the individual is forced to sell out for a very cheap price, usually to one of the owners of the Prophet."

"That's horrible."

"That's business. Your ancestor, an earlier Lord Overton, used his shares in a similar way. That is likely why the estate still owns six percent. There are other purposes that the Daily Prophet serves; ruining your reputation is another example."

"What can be done?"

"Until the stranglehold of the ownership of the Prophet is broken there is little that can be done."

"May I get a list of the owners and what percentages they own?"

"Let me get it for you." With that Ragnok stepped out of his office, returning in a few minutes with a list in his hands. "I think that you will recognize a few names on this list."

"Malfoy, Nott, LeStrange, Crabbe, Goyle, Black…"

"I thought those names would be familiar to you, the other owners are much the same as those you mentioned."

"Is this how Malfoy and the others have gained their wealth?"

"This has been the most lucrative, but there are other ways that are less than honest as well."

"Do you have any ideas how to fight against this?"

"Unfortunately not, this situation has been ongoing for a long time."

"You have given me a lot to think about. There has to be a way to fight against this, I just have to find it."

"May you have all the luck you need. If I can be of assistance, you only need to ask."

"Thank you, I'll work on it and let you know."

The meeting ended, and Harry left for the vault. He was troubled and didn't like what he heard. He remembered what he read in the Potter history book about pilfering from crooks and thought that it was time to resurrect an old family tradition. He didn't know how he was going to do it, but he could learn.

~~oo000oo~~

"Mr. Smythe? My name is Remus Lupin, might I have a moment of your time?"

"Mr. Lupin, how may I help you?"

"I was given your name by the Royal Magical Gallery as someone that may be able to help me. My employer has several very old portraits that have lost most of their magic and needs to correct the problem. Can you help me?"

"This is a very common request but I'm afraid that the answer is not what you will want to hear. There is an extremely expensive potion that, when applied to the surface correctly, will rejuvenate the magic. It takes months for the potion to work and few are willing to pay the price."

"My employer is unconcerned about the cost but he cannot wait months for results. Is there any other means?"

"I'm afraid not. There is a legend of a stone that can revitalize portraits, but that is all it is, a legend. No one has ever seen it."

"In this legend, what is the name of the stone?"

"It is called the Kivi stone."

"Do you know the origin of this legend?"

"I believe that it is a very old Russian wives' tale. If you are considering looking for this legendary stone, please consider that countless people have tried before you and have given up, believing that it doesn't exist."

"Are there any other legends or methods that are rumored to work?"

"Sorry, I wish that I could be of more help."

"Here is my card. If you remember anything that may be of help please contact me. My employer will be sure to make it worth your while."

"I'll do that, good day, Mr. Lupin."

~~oo000oo~~

"How did it go today, Moony?"

"I visited seven artists today, Padfoot, and I got pretty much the same answers from each one. There is a very expensive potion that will work, but it will take months."

"Did you learn anything else?"

"I heard a rumor about a legendary stone that will revitalize portraits, but it has never been proven to exist."

"Did you get a name or a place to start?"

"It is called the Kivi stone, and it is an old Russian wives' tale."

"At least that is something. No one said that it is going to be easy."

"Thanks, Padfoot, you always know how to make me feel so much better." Remus gave Sirius an exasperated look and left for the library.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry was back in his study looking through "The Definitive History of the Potters" one more time. While it was clear that Potters used the mirrors to learn secrets that they used to relieve crooks of money, there were no specifics that would help him with his problem.

He put the book down, it was time to call Sirius and he headed to the mirror room.

"Sirius."

"There you are, Pup. What have you been up to today?"

"I had a meeting with Ragnok about the Daily Prophet."

"Ragnok, the Director of Gringotts?"

"Yeah, he has been very helpful. Why?"

"Nothing, I have never heard that he got involved directly with customers."

"Well, it seems that he likes me. Anyhow, we discussed the Daily Prophet."

Harry gave him an edited version of what he learned. He didn't tell him about the Overton shares, he didn't want to explain, but he did tell him that he owned five percent personally.

"Well, Pup, that explains a lot. I believe that my Grandfather used to own part of the Prophet as well."

"You still do. According to my list, you still own six percent."

"Huh, that is interesting. I'll have to look into it."

Thinking of the Overton shares Harry said "Ragnok seemed to think that I could get a proxy for another six percent. Between us that would give us seventeen percent. That isn't enough to change things, but it's a start."

At that point Sirius told him what Moony found out, and they agreed that Remus should continue to pursue it. After a little small talk, Harry left to have supper.

Dobby had taken another pizza from the freezer and had it ready when Harry joined him in the kitchen.

"Thank you, Dobby. Do you think that we could have something else for dinner tomorrow night? I think that I have had enough pizza to last me for awhile." It was true, after six days straight, he had enough for awhile. Six days ago he thought he would never get tired of pizza, now he wanted a break. Live and learn.

After he finished his meal he decided to return to the vault to see what he could find. Suddenly he remembered the trunk that had drawn blood yesterday, with the harassment that he was getting from the portraits he had forgotten to see what was inside. He quietly walked to the trunk and found that it was nearly full of worn leather bound books. Upon further inspection he found that they were journals of his ancestors. He could hardly believe his luck. With his wand he levitated the trunk into the tent and into his study.

Opening the first journal lying on top of the trunk he found that he was reading about the life of Reginald Potter, Lord Potter from 1565 to 1593. He had to start somewhere, and it might as well be here. Harry read the most boring entries, what was eaten for dinner and his personal problems with his bowels. Harry started skimming through the journal and tried to find useful information. So far he was not too impressed with Reginald. Further into Reginald's journal, he did find something that he thought that he might be able to use. Harry made of note of the scam that was used to fleece a Viscount Gilliéron in 1578. He grew tired of reading this journal and decided to stop for a while because he had a better idea.

Harry had had the mirrors for a few days and hadn't really used them for much spying. Other that his really late look at the Malfoys and his attempt to view Fudge, he hadn't done anything. The thought of standing before the mirror for hours didn't appeal to him, so he thought that he would experiment a little. He levitated one of the chairs from the lounge into the mirror room and placed it before the mirror. He sat down and carefully covered himself and the chair with his invisibility cloak. When he was comfortable he called out "Visum Speculum,… Cornelius Fudge." There was a blur, but nothing happened, Fudge must still not be in front of a mirror. Next he tried "Lucius Malfoy," and there was a blur in the mirror and the view through the mirror was much lower this time, it was at a perfect level for him to see into a study that probably belonged to Malfoy. This was going to be much easier than standing, and he settled in to watch.

The evening went by slowly, and Malfoy only read and wrote into some kind of book, possibly a ledger or journal, it was too far away to read. Maybe the idea of using the mirrors would be more time consuming than he first thought. He settled in to watch and wait, maybe there would be something useful. After an hour Lucius called for a house elf to bring him a snifter of brandy, as Harry expected, Lucius backhanded the elf once he had his drink. If Harry's had his way, the Malfoy family wouldn't have two knuts to rub together and would never be able to afford an elf.

Eventually Malfoy turned off the lamps and left the study, a few minutes later the mirror blurred, and Harry could see into Malfoy's bedroom. The mirror had automatically switched to the room that Malfoy was in. Harry didn't know why he was surprised by this because it made sense, he just hadn't thought about it. He didn't want to be a voyeur, especially not with a Malfoy, so he uttered "Stareé in Speculo" and decided that he would get ready for bed.

Like he had done for a week he decided that he would use the pool again before bedtime. He undressed in the bedroom again and, embarrassed or not, he walked to the pool and got in. He enjoyed his soak and was able to relax. When he went to get out he realized that he forgot a towel. He could call Dobby but that would be embarrassing, it was just easier to pretend that he wasn't being watched. He did the only thing left to do and dripped his way to his bedroom. After drying himself and dressing in his pajamas, Harry still had some trouble getting to sleep. He was awake often during the night thinking about the Daily Prophet and other problems, but at least it wasn't nightmares about Voldemort.

The morning brought Harry to his study after breakfast with Dobby. Harry spent more time with Reginald Potter's journal until he thought that he had almost everything of value copied into his notes. He sure hoped that not all of his ancestors were going to be like that one. After placing the journal on a bookshelf, Harry took another journal at random from the trunk and started reading about Archibald Potter, Lord Potter from 1731 to 1769. This was more like it, it seemed that Archibald was dedicated to swindling as many crooks as he could, and he had good fun doing it. Since there was no way to share the fun that he had in destroying the dishonest and greedy with his live contemporaries, he expressed himself by writing in his journal. Harry could almost hear the laughter in the descriptions of the tactics that he used. This was a man who loved what he did. Harry read well past lunchtime. He was still reading when Dobby interrupted.

"Woulds Master Harry likes somethings to eats?"

"What time…? Oh, I did read past lunch. Thank you, Dobby."

"Whats would Master Harry wants for lunch?

"I don't care… how about sandwiches?"

"Woulds Master Harry like for Dobby to serves lunch here or in the kitchen?"

"The kitchen will be fine. I have been in here too long."

Harry left the study back into the jungle. The 'sun' was shining as always, and the jungle birds were making their sounds. He marveled at what magic could do. Upon entering the kitchen, Harry was still thinking of the jungle and thought of a question for Dobby.

"Dobby?"

"Yes, Master Harry?"

"I was wondering about the jungle here in the tent. Have you had to mow the grass between the pathways?"

"No, Master Harry. Grasses always stays likes that."

"Have you found out anything about how the tent operates, maybe if the 'sun' can be turned down or off?"

"Oh, yes, Master Harry, Dobby can doos those things. Dobby finded the manual to make the tent doos things."

"You found the manual? That's great, can you get it for me?" With a pop the manual was in front of Harry. It wasn't too thick, and he started to read it while he was eating lunch. He found that he could turn the sun off and have a 'moon' shine instead. He also found commands for some fancy features like using the 'sun' for tanning. Maybe he would think about that, he was going to be awfully white when he returned to school. He didn't want anyone to think that he was living in a cave all summer… or a vault he added wryly.

Harry returned to the study to continue with Archibald's journal. Harry was intrigued when Archibald wrote about how he bankrupted some deserving crooks using their own greed and imagination against them. The scam seemed easy enough if he could make it work for him. The possibilities swirled through his head while he tried to read more of the journal, it was difficult to concentrate until a journal entry focused his attention. Archibald was making fun of his own great grandfather Orson, the Prince of Lichtenburg. It seems that Prince Orson was too dismissive of the neighboring kingdom's threats, so he was caught off guard and his country was overtaken. The prince barely escaped with the royal treasury and left for England where his only child, Alice, married a Potter. The source of Archibald's humor was Orson's attempt at buying a new kingdom in Africa. The land was overgrown and filled with crocodiles, snakes and countless other creatures that made it totally uninhabitable.

An idea was taking shape in Harry's mind. If he could work out the details then he would have his first scam underway. There were a lot of problems yet unsolved, but some of them seemed doable. It was going to be a challenge to solve the rest, but he hoped he was up to the test.

It was time to call Sirius again, so he hurried to the mirror room, donned his cloak, sat in his chair this time and made the usual incantation and request. After seeing Sirius waiting, he looked around the best that he could to be sure that no one was there.

"Padfoot," Harry said as he flipped his cloak off his chair and himself.

"Pup… It looks like you solved your problem… nice chair."

"Yeah, it is much more comfortable when watching for long periods."

"Have you been doing a lot of watching?"

"I did last night after I talked to you. I watched Lucius Malfoy for hours while he did almost nothing. It was really boring, and I'm not sure how to make it any better."

"Sorry, I can't help with Malfoy, but maybe you could just watch hot babes instead? I know I would." Sirius had a lecherous grin on his face.

"Sirius! I'm not going to do that… it wouldn't be right. I intend to use the mirrors for good things." Harry's face was a little red even though Sirius couldn't see it clearly through the silvery cast of the mirror.

"Watching hot babes is a good thing, a really good thing in fact. Trust me."

"I'm not going to watch hot babes… not that there is anything wrong with that… well there is, but not what you're thinking…" Harry was turning red enough to easily show through the mirror."

"Careful now, Pup, you aren't playing for the other team are you?" Sirius was having too good of a time winding Harry up.

"NO!" Harry nearly screamed. "I'm not playing for the other team. I like girls, a lot of girls…"

"A lot of girls, Harry?"

"That is not what I meant!"

"Only one girl then, you dog!" Sirius finally doubled over in laughter, he couldn't keep a straight face any longer. It took a couple of minutes to get himself back under control.

"Very funny, Padfoot."

"I thought so, you are too easy. It is so much fun to rile you up."

"Can we talk about something else? How is Moony doing?"

"Alright, we can talk about something else. Moony is doing fine, he is still checking references on the Kivi stone. He thinks that he might have something, but he is still checking. He would like to use Hogwarts' library but can't think of what to tell Albus."

"Hey, you guys are Marauders, you will figure out something. I can't give you all the answers, can I?"

"Watch it, Pup, I can always go back to the hot babes again."

"Touché. Is there anything else that I should know?"

"Not really. The Order still doesn't know where to look for you. They have left word all over two continents to find you. It is sometimes hard to keep a straight face. I still express the right amount of concern, but I also tell them that I hope that you are having a good time. Molly doesn't appreciate that very well."

"I can't imagine that she would. If there isn't anything else, I would like to get back to studying some books that I found."

"Don't turn into Hermione, OK?"

"I won't, good night, Padfoot."

"Night, Harry."

Harry went back to his study, took out parchment and a quill and started making notes. He had a lot of ideas and a lot of questions. As he wrote down some of the problems, he thought of their solutions, on others he still didn't have a clue. His biggest problem was still the Daily Prophet and how he was going to have them print the truth about him, all they wanted to print were lies. If only they were to print what he wanted printed. That gave him an idea, and he scribbled down a lot more notes. Late into the night Harry's creative juices started to ebb and decided to quit for the evening. He was too tired and didn't feel like using the mirrors to watch Malfoy or anyone else this evening. He thought that he would just give his mind some time off and start getting ready for bed.

As was his habit now, he went to his room to undress, and this time he took two towels back with him to the jungle. He didn't bother to cover up. Dobby wasn't going to see anything more than what he had seen before. As Harry slipped through the vines to enter the jungle he stopped and said "Neque ad Vesperam", within a few seconds the sun faded away to be replaced by a full moon. The sounds of the jungle changed as well, he could now hear the night birds and the rustle of a soft breeze through the trees and vines. The breeze was very warm and felt good on his skin. He could smell the sweet scents of night blooming jungle flowers. Harry marveled again at the wonders of magic, he hoped that he would never get used to it, this was an incredible transformation to behold.

Harry placed his towels near the pool and slipped into the water. He set the pool to have soft swirls of water moving his body gently from side to side and to lift him from the bottom to float effortlessly on the surface. If the pool was calming before, then it was nothing like this. He was listening to the sounds of night birds calling in the jungle, smelling the sweet smell of night blooming flowers and feeling his body moving gently in the water, with the added feeling of a soft warm breeze caressing any skin not underwater. With his head on the edge of the pool, he thought that it couldn't be any more perfect. He tried to think of the problems he needed to solve, but he couldn't remember a single one. He was nearly lost to the world.

After half an hour of experiencing such a blissful experience, he knew that he had to get out of the pool. His skin was too much like a prune to stay in any longer. Never had he felt so relaxed, and he didn't want it to end. He got out of the water spread a towel on the grass. He lay down for a while to cool off from the hot water and let his skin air dry in the warm breeze. He used the second towel for a pillow and he relaxed again with the sounds, smells and feel of the jungle all around him. Succumbing to the inevitable, Harry fell asleep and slept better than he ever had before in his life.

"Master Harry?"

Harry slightly roused from his sleep. He was having such a good dream. He was on his broom feeling the wind on his body and soaring through the air without a care.

"Master Harry?"

"Dobby?"

"Yes, Master Harry, sir. Dobby is worried about Master Harry."

Harry was having trouble waking up. He really wanted to go back to his dream. "Why are you worried Dobby?"

"Master Harry has been here for fourteen hours, sir. Yous has missed breakfast and lunch."

With that he was fully awake. He sat up and then realized what he had done. He had fallen asleep by the pool in the jungle, and he was naked. As Dobby was standing there looking worried, he tried to remember what the incantation was for bringing the sun back.

"Videas Solem" Harry uttered. As the 'moon' quickly evolved into the 'sun', he grabbed the towel under his head to cover himself. He realized that he was only fooling himself and it wasn't going to work. Dobby had not only seen him naked before, he had seen him naked for the last fourteen hours. Maybe the portraits were right, maybe he was a pervert.

"Master Harry needs to eats. Dobby has breakfast ready." With a snap of Dobby's fingers a small table and chair appeared with a breakfast of ham, eggs, toast and a large glass of milk. Harry sat down with a towel around his waist and started on his food. He didn't realize how hungry he was, everything was delicious, and he enjoyed it immensely. He was grateful that Dobby cooked this meal and was here with him. It had been his first intention that he come to the vault alone with a tent and now realized what a huge mistake that would have been.

"Thank you, Dobby."

"Yous welcome, Master Harry."

"No, I mean thank you for being here with me this summer. I don't think I could make it on my own without you."

"Dobby is glad to be here too. Master Harry is so kind and considerate and brave, and caring, and smart, and…"

"Stop, Dobby! I get the idea." He needed to change the subject quickly before things got worse. "Dobby, could you get the Daily Prophet for me?"

"Heres you go, Master Harry." With one snap of his fingers the dishes were gone, and another snap brought the paper to the table.

"Thank you, Dobby." He thought about getting dressed first but the 'sun' was warm, and he thought that he could work on a tan. He really didn't want to return to school looking like a ghost.

Harry found the usual defamatory reporting; he hadn't found one word of truth so far. The only thing of interest was an article about him on page two.

_Harry Potter in Africa__?_

_By Rita Skeeter_

_It has come to the attention of this reporter that there are rumors that Harry Potter has left Britain in shame and has gone to Africa. With all the lies that Mr. Potter has spouted that have since been proven false, it is clear that he couldn't show his face in public and has run away. With his reputation in tatters there is little reason for Mr. Potter to stay…_

That was enough for Harry, just more of the same libel that the Prophet was known for. How could anyone believe reporting like this? The answer was most everyone did; they believed everything the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly printed. Mrs. Weasley proved that when she had sent a howler to Hermione last year proving that she believed the lies that Witch Weekly printed. He even wondered how the Quibbler could have enough subscribers to survive if people didn't believe what was in it.

Then a thought came to mind that fell into place with his other ideas. In fact everything seemed to come together. He wouldn't try to control them, he would use them. His plan was to use Witch Weekly to print what he wanted, but it was going to have to take a big sacrifice from Harry to make it work. The bonus was going to be discrediting the Prophet at the same time.

Harry quickly left the jungle and went to the armoire in his room and retrieved the makeup and his disguise. He went to the bathroom mirror and quickly inserted his colored contact lenses and applied his makeup. He dressed in some new everyday robes that he had bought a few days ago. Then he put on his wig, sideburns and affixed his moustache.

There wasn't much of the business day left, and Harry needed to hurry. He wished that he hadn't slept so long, but it had felt so good. He rang the bell by the vault door and waited for Nearfang to come with a cart. Less than twenty minutes later, he was shown into Ragnok's office.

"Harry, it is good to see you, nice disguise."

"It is good to see you too. Do you think that I'll be recognized in Diagon Alley?"

"Your disguise should be affective to anyone but a goblin." That statement wasn't as blunt as what Nearfang had said, but it didn't give humans much credit either.

"I sure hope so, I need to get out into the Alley for some shopping before the shops close. First I would like to ask you about the master ledger that you showed me the day before yesterday. I need some information from it. I was wondering if it would be possible for me to have a copy of it for use in my vault."

"It will take a little while for me to make a copy for you. I'll have to use a lot of security charms on it to protect your secrets. Since you have shopping to do, why don't you return here to my office upon your return to Gringotts and I'll have it ready for you."

"Thank you. I need to buy a magical camera and equipment and don't know where to go to find a store that sells it."

"You will want to go to Oldham's Photography. It is to the left and three blocks down on your right."

"Thank you, I appreciate your help."

Harry left Ragnok's office and was escorted back to the bank lobby, and he quickly made his way out of the bank. After letting his eyes adjust to the light he made his way to Oldham's.

"Good afternoon, young man, is there anything special that you are looking for?"

"I'm going on an extended journey to Africa in search of adventure. I would like to record my exploits and create memories to show my future children and grandchildren. I'll need a camera that is versatile to allow me the freedom to shoot photos quickly and discreetly from a distance if necessary. I'm thinking about wild game shots without getting too close."

"I have several models that you might be interested in that will meet your standards."

"Is there a capability that I can take my own photo? I would like to film myself with animals and, perhaps, natives."

"For the right price, I have exactly what you need. It is a traveler's model with a very large supply of film and a portable darkroom with all the potions necessary for an extended trip. It comes in a package that shrinks down to small size that will easily fit into backpacks or with other luggage."

"That sounds perfect, I'll take it."

Harry quickly finished his purchase, rushed as quickly as possible to Flourish and Blotts. He looked for the geography section and found two books that looked good, in the anthropology section he found another, and he finished his search in the travel section with two more selections. The shop was about to close and he needed to complete his purchase and get back to the bank before it closed as well. He made it back into the bank just as the doors were closing.

"Nearfang! Am I too late to meet with Director Ragnok?"

"The director is expecting you, he is still available." The hallways and stairs going to Ragnok's office didn't seem very long at all this time. The goblins sure liked to play their little games. Before long, Harry was back in front of Ragnok.

"Thank you, Ragnok, for waiting for me. Do you have the copy of the ledger ready?"

"It is done, waiting for you to be keyed into it. This ledger has to be protected by a blood lock, no other security is enough." Ragnok walked Harry over to a large book with a gold hasp on the table behind his desk. "This is simple enough, as you will expect, you need to place your hand on the hasp for your blood to be drawn, then only you can open the ledger. Others who try will be in for a most unpleasant surprise."

"Thank you, for doing this so quickly for me. I found some interesting information in my vault and want to check it out."

"It is only right that you have the information when you need it."

"I have two more questions before I let you leave for the evening, do I own a mineral surveying company that does work in Africa?"

"Let me check the ledger." Ragnok flipped through the ledger and found what he was looking for. "There is a small but reputable muggle company called 3Q Associates Ltd., in which you own sixty-two percent through the Earl of Jenkins account."

"Do they have an office in London?"

"If you look on page 112 of your ledger you will have all you need."

"That's perfect. Could I get photo ID showing that I'm the Earl of Jenkins."

"That will be no problem. Do you want it using one of your disguises or as yourself?"

"I think that as myself would be fine."

"I can have that ready for you as you leave."

"Thanks, next question. How do I go about instructing one of my account managers to do something? If I want to have one of my accounts managers buy or sell something from another, even if it is not in the account's best interest, then what do I have to do?"

"You would simply write out what you want done, and seal it with the appropriate ring."

"Ring? What ring?"

"Your lordship rings of course. You didn't find them in your vault? I would think that one of the portraits would have guided you."

"No... they didn't." Harry was getting irked.

"I suggest that you look around your vault. If you can't find them then Gringotts can replace them. It is a time consuming and costly project."

"Alright, I'll do that. Thank you for your time. I'm ready to go back to my vault and find some rings."

Harry and Nearfang loaded the ledger, books and camera equipment into the cart and sped their way back to the vault. Along the trip he took off his wig, sideburns and moustache; he wanted to look like himself when he spoke to the portraits. When Harry arrived, Dobby took care of his purchases as Harry went further into the vault.

"HEY! Wake up! I have something to tell all of you." The portraits opened their eyes to see a pissed off Harry. "Just when were you planning to tell me about the rings? I have been polite to all of you, you know that I'm Lord Potter or else I wouldn't have had access to this vault. You have all been holding out on me and I don't like it."

"Polite? You run around here naked as the day you were born, and you call that polite?" This came from a portrait of a woman wearing a ruff around her neck like Shakespeare.

"I explained that to you already, I don't need to explain it again. I'm the current Lord Potter, and I deserve your respect. Now where are the rings?"

The same portrait replied. "What if we don't tell you? We can wait for your children or grandchildren."

"Then you will all be destroyed, and all the history of the Potter family dies with you. I did just fine before I knew you existed, and I can do just fine without."

"You wouldn't dare!" There was a lot of talking going on between the portraits, and Harry couldn't hear much, but he did hear the word 'pervert'. He had had enough.

"QUIET!' Harry yelled from the top of his voice. "I have had enough, and I demand the rings with or without your respect."

One of the more quiet portraits pointed below his frame to a small jewel encrusted chest lying under some old robes. Harry retrieved the chest and opened it to find what he was looking for. It was filled with layers of rings, each marked as to where it belonged.

"Thank you. At least one of you shows some respect."

The same troublesome woman spoke up again. "You want my respect you are going to have to earn it you pervert."

"I'll show you the respect you deserve, you old crone, the rest of you might want to turn away." Harry flipped off his cloak, toed off his shoes and started to unbutton his shirt.

"You wouldn't dare!" The portrait was screaming. He was down to his underwear when she yelled "STOP! You've made your point. You're a pervert you don't have to prove it."

"And you are an insane bitch. I'm the current Lord Potter, and with or without your permission, I'll do as I please. There isn't a damned thing that you can do to stop me." With that he dropped his underwear, picked up the chest and walked slowly back to the tent.

He managed to walk away with as much dignity as he could until he heard "He's awfully big for his age isn't he?" Harry managed to turn red while he was still shaking with rage. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry, it was just too bizarre. He wanted to blow something up at the same time as wanting to hide under the bed.

He had imagined that he came from a long distinguished line of noble men and women and then found that he was related to a woman like that. It was enough to make his skin crawl. If it was a choice between that woman and his Aunt Petunia then he would choose his aunt. He decided that whatever he managed to do with recharging portraits was definitely not going to happen to that woman. He was ready to march back out there with his wand and blast her to pieces, but he thought that he better calm down first.

Harry heard a clock strike, and he jumped when he found that he was late to talk to Sirius. He ran to his bedroom, threw on some sweat clothes and headed to the mirror room. He sat down, threw the invisibility cloak over himself, uttered "Visum Speculum,… Sirius Black" and waited. He was still upset and when Sirius came into view.

"Sirius."

"Hey, Pup, you're late. Is anything the matter?"

"Yeah… No… I don't know."

"Well, I'm glad that we have that cleared up. Do you want to explain?"

"It is just the portraits in the vault can be so infuriating. I can't believe that I have ancestors like that, especially a many times great grandmother like that. I want to blast her to pieces."

"Now you know how I feel about my mother."

"Good point. I don't know if I feel any better, but thanks." Harry calmed down a little. When compared to Harry, Sirius had it much worse.

"You want to share with me what she did?"

Harry thought about it for a few seconds and decided it wouldn't betray any family secrets if he told him about what he did. It took a very long time to tell the whole story starting from when he found the manual through to what had just happened. Sirius couldn't stop breaking down in laughter."

"And you dropped your drawers and walked away?" Sirius was still laughing so hard that Harry had a hard time understanding him.

"Yeah, it seemed like the right thing to do when I did it."

"And then you heard the portrait say what again before you reached the tent?" Sirius knew good blackmailing material when he heard it.

"I already told you that, and I think I'm sorry that I did." Sirius finally calmed down some before he burst out laughing again, and Harry didn't know what was so funny this time. "What's so funny?"

"I just wonder what my mother would do if I did that." They both got a round of laughs out of that. The call to Sirius helped Harry to laugh about what happened, and he was thankful that he had Sirius to confide in.

After he left the mirror and returned to the jungle, he continued to his study to check out the master ledger. He looked up the Prince of Lichtenburg account and searched under properties. He found what he was looking for, nearly a hundred thousand acres of land in the densest jungles of Africa. The value placed in the ledger was only fifty thousand galleons. There had been no income from the property since it was bought hundreds of years ago. This was the perfect property for him to use in his scheme, it even had a legal description that he would need. The property was named the Kingdom of Orson, Harry was sure that Archibald Potter was still laughing about that. The master ledger was useful again when he looked to find that the Northrup account owned nearly thirty kilos of gold nuggets and a large pile of gold ore.

Harry closed the ledger and moved it to the top of a nearby table. He took out some parchment and started to craft a response to Rita Skeeter. After many revisions he thought it was the best that he could do.

_Ms. Skeeter,_

_I am troubled by the things that you have said about me in your articles. Because I am a wizarding minor I am deeply outraged at the slanderous things that you have said about me. I am not deranged or mentally ill or have delusions of grandeur, and shame has not caused me to leave Britain to go to Africa looking for treasure. I am still in England, living with my relatives and enjoying my summer. _

_Please print the truth about me, or I will be hiring barristers to deal with you._

_Harry Potter_

He thought that it sounded childish and a bit naïve, at least he hoped so. It could even be described as having some petulance thrown in as well, just what she would expect from a delusional schoolboy. With any luck she would accept it, especially the part about seeking treasure.

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls Dobby?"

"I need this delivered to the Daily Prophet so that Rita Skeeter will see it. Do you know where to go?"

"Oh yes, Master Harry, Dobby didses this for old bad master. Dobby knowses where to go."

"Alright Dobby, don't get caught."

Harry grinned when Dobby popped away. This was his first step in taking his place within the traditions of his forebears.


	7. Chapter 7

This story is not a work of J K Rowling

Chapter 7

Harry's letter to Rita Skeeter put him in a good mood, if everything worked out then he was on the way of discrediting the Daily Prophet to achieve his goals. His plan called for him to use Witch Weekly, but unfortunately his plan also called for things that he wasn't sure he would ever be ready for, and would put him in so much trouble. He got out the books that he bought from Flourish and Blotts and looked through them for African safari clothing. He was going to have to make people believe that he was in Africa and he needed to dress the part to make Witch Weekly want to print them. He looked through the books and finally found what he was looking for; it was jungle boots, white shorts, white safari-style shirt and pith helmet. He went to his bedroom where he took out his contact lenses and put his glasses back on. He grabbed some clothes off of the pile of his old Dursley castoffs and brought them with him into the jungle. He used his wand and transfigured the old clothes to resemble classic safari wear. Dobby conjured a full length mirror in the jungle for Harry to try on the clothes to see if they looked right. He kept at his project until he thought he looked just right.

Dobby brought him the camera and equipment he bought earlier. He enlarged the package and looked for directions; he could see parts and pieces everywhere and didn't know what to do. He finally had the directions in hand but they weren't easy to follow. Colin Creevey made it look so easy. Why was nothing working like it should? Harry was dressed and ready for a photo, but he couldn't get the camera to work.

It took hours for Harry to fit the camera together so that he could take a photo. He didn't have any idea what zoom meant, but he was pretty sure what 'close-up' meant. He didn't understand how to make the camera take his photo while standing in front of it, so he had Dobby ready to press the button instead. With a large flash of smoke he and Dobby took their first photo. They decided to take a second photo before they set up the portable darkroom in one of the other spare bedrooms. The directions were confusing but he managed to get the photos developed using the equipment and potions in the kit.

The photos of him in his crisp white safari garb weren't too bad. The first showed him standing in front of a tropical tree. It was a simple photo of him looking like a typical tourist on his first safari. The second was a shot of Harry partly from the side where it appeared that he was looking in the distance. He was dressed much like Dr. David Livingstone did a hundred years before, just what someone would expect of a tourist in Africa.

It was late now, or early depending on how you looked at it. Harry was having problems getting his hours mixed up again. He decided to go to sleep and have Dobby wake him at ten in the morning. Harry went to his bathroom and got ready for bed. He took off his transfigured clothes and put them on the pile of castoffs, grabbed some towels and headed for the pool. He spoke, "Neque ad Vesperam" as he entered the jungle room again, and he was back into the seductive arms of the jungle at night. He did the same thing as he did the night before; he entered the pool, set the waters to softly swirl while he relaxed floating on top of the water. He listened to the sounds of the jungle as well as enjoyed the smell of the night blooming flowers. It was hypnotic. Before long he had gotten out of the pool, stretched out towels beside the pool and slept soundly. There were no dreams of Voldemort, Cedric or the graveyard; only his peaceful dreams of flight on gentle breezes.

"Master Harry, sir."

"Master Harry, sir."

"hmmpgh"

"Master Harry asksed Dobby to wake him at ten. It being ten now, Master Harry."

"Thank you, Dobby," came from a very groggy Harry, "I'm awake." Harry sat up, but this time didn't cover himself. "Videas Solem" the 'moon' transitioned into the warm sun and the sounds of the jungle changed as well.

Dobby snapped his fingers, and a table appeared with breakfast laid out. "Master Harry, Dobby has your breakfast for yous."

"Thank you, could you get me the manual for the tent again?" Within a blink, the manual appeared. Harry sat down eating his breakfast and reading about how to control the tent. "Solis Tanerous." Harry could feel the intensity of the 'sun' change, it would now tan his skin without danger of burning.

Harry hadn't bothered to cover himself this morning, he was going to have to get used to being nude, his plans required it. Harry needed an all-over tan for some carefully posed photos to sell to Witch Weekly. He knew that the Daily Prophet wasn't the only way to get his message out; he also knew what type of photos that Witch Weekly would be sure to print. One problem was that Witch Weekly had far fewer subscribers that the Daily Prophet and he had to do something about that. He had to reach the largest audience and get them to believe what he wanted them to believe. Unfortunately that meant no tan lines.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry decided to get an early start on a critical part of his plan and visit 3Q Associates. He called Nearfang and bought a portkey near to the offices.

"I would like to speak to one of your junior associates please."

"May I give him your name?"

"Harry Potter." There was no use in concealing his name. No one from the magical world would ever know he was here. Besides he never knew when he would have a need for this company again.

"One moment, and someone will see you."

Ten minutes later someone came to the lobby.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter, I'm Joshua Brown, how can I be of help?"

"My problem is quite involved. Is there somewhere that we can talk comfortably?"

"This way" Harry was led to a very small but private office, once inside Harry closed the door, to the notice of the associate.

"Mr. Brown, I'm Harry Potter, the current Earl of Jenkins," Harry showed him his ID, "I own the majority interest in this firm. I have a side project that I need your help with."

"What type of project?"

"There is a large tract of land in the darkest part of Africa. I need a document showing that there is a large quantity of gold on it. I don't want 3Q Associates mentioned anywhere on the document just some fictitious company name on the top, nothing will reflect on this company. I need the document to look and sound official, all names will be fake. Pick a name out of the air, and address it to them."

"I'm afraid that I can't do that, Mr. Potter, it wouldn't be ethical, and I wouldn't want to jeopardize my job here."

"Do you own a house, Mr. Brown?"

"No, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"You will as soon as you pick one out."

Harry could see the conflict in Brown's face.

"And no one would know anything?"

"There wouldn't be a valid signature or name within the entire document. I only need you to use the right words, phrases and formatting to make it look real."

"Just how much gold are you talking about?"

Harry knew that he was going to do it. He gave him the legal description and a thousand pounds in banknotes for stationary and any supplies like an embossed stamp. They shook hands and agreed that Harry would come back in two weeks.

On the way back to his vault, he stopped at Varnok's office to arrange for a large sum of pounds to be put into a muggle account for his withdrawal in two weeks time.

~~oo000oo~~

The next three days were spent with Harry in the jungle room getting tanned nearly all day long. He would read his journals and make modifications to his plans. There was an article from Rita Skeeter mentioning that Harry claimed that he was not treasure hunting in Africa and that he was still in England. He was thrilled that his plan for Skeeter had worked so far and sent her a message back thanking her for getting the 'truth' out about his whereabouts. He would also chastise her for the other errors in the paper by sending a message refuting what she printed the day before. He needed her to print that he was still in England while Witch Weekly showed otherwise. Only one of them would be shown to be correct, the other would be shown as being unreliable and fraudulent.

In the evenings Harry would spend time with Sirius and check on any progress that Remus might be having. Sirius and Remus hadn't come up with a believable story for getting into Hogwarts' Library. There was no good reason for Remus to be looking for the Kivi stone. No one would believe that Sirius would want to visit with any of his dead ancestors. Harry wasn't as sure that he wanted to visit with his ancestors either, but he knew that it would be the fastest way to get the kind of information that he needed.

Harry had tried to use the mirrors several times to view Cornelius Fudge without success. He checked on Malfoy often but didn't find him doing anything interesting either. He was disappointed that he wasn't able to spy on anything remarkable yet.

~~oo000oo~~

"Severus, what do you have for me about Potter?"

"My Lord, I have nothing to report, the Order has no idea where he is. There have been no letters or floo calls. The Order hasn't been able to find where the brat has purchased a portkey from any known seller. Unless we can find someone that made him an illegal portkey, his trail is cold. The Order doesn't know how to begin to find him."

"You are to keep yourself fully informed of what the Order is doing, and if you get any information you are to come here immediately."

"It will be as you say, My Lord."

~~oo000oo~~

After four days of tanning, which would be the same as a week in the real jungle, Harry and Dobby took some more photos of himself. Harry had gone through the trunks of stuffed animals and found a stuffed gorilla and restored it to full size. He posed the gorilla facing him while he was turned to the side of the camera. It looked like he was offering a piece of fruit to it. His photos were with his pith helmet, torn and dirty white shorts and boots, but he was shirtless this time wearing a transfigured medallion. He had another photo of him standing alone looking at the camera wearing the medallion on a leather strap around his neck. The medallion resembled something of a crude map with gibberish symbols around it. He was smiling in the photo and fingered the medallion a time or two.

It was time for the next steps in his plan. He needed to get the photos to Witch Weekly and speak with Varnok. Early the next morning, Harry applied his makeup and disguise, got dressed in expensive robes and rang the bell for Nearfang to come get him.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter, what can I do for you?"

"Good morning, Nearfang, I would like to see Varnok this morning and buy a portkey to Witch Weekly's offices."

The trip to the surface was long for some reason that Harry didn't understand. He suspected that it was just goblin mind games again. He was ushered through what seemed like twice as many hallways and stairs before finally reaching Varnok's office.

"Good morning, Harry. What can I help you with today?"

"Good morning, Varnok. Have you been able to find out anything about rejuvenating portraits?"

"I'm afraid that the only option is expensive potions and months of time."

"Have you ever heard of a Kivi stone?"

"No, I haven't, is it valuable?"

"I have heard that it will put new life back into portraits, but it is thought that it is only a legend."

"I'm sorry. I don't know anything about it. I can ask again if you like, but our goblin artists would surely have heard about it and told me."

That's alright, I have someone looking into it for me. Next question, do rumors occur in the wizarding financial world?"

"Goblin managers are one hundred percent faithful and discrete with their clients. However that doesn't stop speculation about other clients. If anyone approaches one of our managers with a deal for an asset that is too far below its value, then speculation occurs that the seller is in trouble, and more deals may be available. You might consider such speculation as rumors."

"So if I wanted to create such a rumor about myself, all that would need to be done is to sell one of my assets below market value?"

"I can assure you that I do no such thing."

"I'm not accusing you, you have my complete faith. However, it is going to be in my best interest to create such a rumor. I'm working on a plan that is going to require that others think that I'm either desperate for cash or that I might be in financial trouble."

"I'm not certain why you would want that speculation about yourself, but I'll do as you ask."

"I want to create the illusion that I'm about to make a very large purchase, maybe far larger than I can possibly afford. Don't worry, I don't intend to make that purchase even though I'll want you to place bids on my behalf. I don't want to fuel too much speculation, just enough to get everyone's attention. I think that it would be best if you were to sell something, perhaps my Daily Prophet stock, to Lord Overton well below value, he has connections that will be valuable to what I'm working on. "

"When would you like me to do this?"

"I'll let you know, would a week be a problem?"

"A week is no problem."

Harry left Varnok's office and got the portkey from Nearfang. He arrived just behind Witch Weekly's office and walked around the building to the front door. He checked his disguise in the reflection of the front door before entering and greeting a pretty young receptionist.

"Excuse me, miss, I have some photos that I would like to sell, and I would like to talk to someone who can help me?"

"And your name, sir?" Harry had to think quickly, he hadn't thought to create a name for this disguise. He thought of Oliver Wood and Dean Thomas so he answered quickly, "Oliver Thomas." He hoped that he didn't pause too long and create suspicion. If he did, the receptionist didn't show it.

"If you will take a seat, I'll see if someone can be with you shortly. May I enquire about the nature of these photos?

"They are candid shots of Harry Potter on safari." The receptionist didn't bother to reply; she dashed from her desk and quickly returned with another young, well-dressed woman.

"Good morning, Mr. Thomas, my name is Abigail Watkins, please follow me to my office, and we can discuss the photos you mentioned."

"Thank you, Ms. Watkins."

After being seated in her office she asked. "May I see the photos in question?"

"These are all I have for now, I expect more in the days and weeks to come." Harry said as he passed the photos across the desk.

"These are excellent photos that I would be most willing to pay for. Would you mind telling me how you came to be in possession of these?"

"My partner is the guide that Harry Potter has hired for his expedition. Harry doesn't know that my partner is smuggling out the photos to me."

"You said that you can expect more?"

"That is the plan. My partner and I are looking to make extra money on Harry's adventure."

"If you have the negatives, how does five hundred galleons sound?"

"I like a thousand better.

"Seven fifty?"

"You have a deal, Ms. Watkins."

With galleons in hand Harry made some more pleasantries and left the office. He reminded himself to have Nearfang or Varnok arrange a subscription to be delivered to his vault. He went back around the building until he was out of sight and activated his portkey. Upon materializing back at Gringotts he wondered why he hadn't been stumbling since he had been using goblin portkeys. That was something that he should check into he thought, using portkeys was alright as long as he didn't fall on his face.

Harry returned to the vault after arranging for the subscription and decided to continue to work on his tan. Dobby offered to hover a journal to float above Harry's head so that he could read it while lying on a towel. He gave another silent thanks that he had Dobby around to help with such things. The journal was very interesting. It was from Leofric Potter, Lord Potter from 1044 to 1071. It was very difficult to read due to the old English language but Harry was able to decipher how Leofric had deceived a corrupt king out of most of the royal treasury by pretending that there was an army waiting to overthrow the kingdom. The fact that the army didn't exist was a source of amusement that Leofric chronicled in detail.

By three o'clock Harry was feeling hungry and asked for Dobby to fix sandwiches again. Dobby removed the charm from the journal and popped into the kitchen. Harry followed and took a seat until the sandwiches were finished. Dobby served Harry a slice of treacle tart for dessert, and he was set to return to work or leisure as the case may be.

Harry was a little tired of reading journals, even though he was learning about a wide variety of scams, and decided that he wanted to look at something else. He remembered the alchemy book that he found in the vault and decided to take a look. He had Dobby hover the book and returned to studying. The book was complicated and he didn't know what he was reading, but he understood enough to make it interesting. He was about halfway through the book when he stopped, blinked and looked again. Here were the instructions for making a Kivi stone. What he had been searching for was under his nose the entire time.

He needed to ask the portraits about it, but he decided that he better get dressed first, there was no need of causing more trouble. The vault was a few degrees cooler than the jungle room, so Harry dressed in sweat clothes and entered the vault. He took the book with him and went to where he had left his clothes, he had forgotten to pick them up before, and he made a mental note to ask Dobby to do it later.

"Hello, can I get your attention again?" The portraits opened their eyes, but didn't say anything this time. "I need to speak to you to learn about my family, which is the entire purpose of my being here. In order for me to do that, I need for you to be awake and able to tell me what I should know. I understand that you are tired and low on magic. There is a stone, called a Kivi stone that legend says will give you new life. Does anyone of you know anything about that?"

The old woman with ruff around her neck started to open her mouth, but Harry stared her down. He wasn't going to take anymore abuse from that woman. He had more than enough portraits, he wouldn't miss one.

"I heard about the legend, but I doubt that it is real," said one of the portraits. The others just looked on but didn't disagree.

"I found this book in the vault a few days ago, and it has instructions as to how to make the stone. Do any of you know anything about this book?"

"What is the name of it?" The same portrait replied.

"'The Hidden Wonders of the Alchemic World' by Lord Wilbur Ramsey."

"I have no knowledge of the book, but you are also Lord Ramsey. Wilbur Ramsey was your," here the portrait stopped to think, "six times great grandfather."

"Do any of you know where a Kivi stone is or where I can find information about it?"

Several of the portraits discussed it among themselves, and one of them spoke up. "We think that your best course of action would be to visit the Ramsey vault and see if there is anyone there that can help you."

"Thank you. I'll do just that."

Harry started to walk away and almost made it back to the tent when he heard "At least he kept his pants on this time." He chose to ignore it, if they only knew what he had to do for Witch Weekly.

Harry went back to his study to read the book more carefully, he was no alchemist but he could try to learn as much as he could to be able to discuss it intelligently. Soon it was time to call Sirius again, he hoped that Remus was available too. He went to the mirror room and did the usual.

"Sirius."

"Hey, Pup, what's new?"

"Is Remus nearby, I have things to discuss about the Kivi stone."

"I think that he is in the library again. If you give me a few minutes, I'll get him."

A few minutes later, Remus and Sirius entered the room again and silenced and locked the door.

"Hey, Cub, have you kept your drawers up today?" Moony teased.

"I'm not saying, but that isn't why I wanted to talk to you. I found a book in the vault that has instructions as to how to make a Kivi stone."

"You did? I have been searching for days. How did you find it?"

"I was looking for interesting books when I first got here, but I didn't get around to looking at it until this afternoon. It is in an old alchemy book that is nearly impossible to understand, but it is clear that it describes how to make one."

"I would like to see that book as soon as possible."

"I'm going to need it too. Can you make a copy of it? I have never learned the spell. That is something that I'm going to have to learn."

"Certainly, I do it a lot."

"Just a minute," Harry replied. "Dobby?"

"Master Harry called Dobby?"

"Dobby, I need for you to take this book to Remus and wait for him to make a copy, then bring me the original back. Okay?"

"Dobby bees right back."

Dobby took the book and immediately appeared on the other side of the mirror.

"Master Harry tolds Dobby to give yous this."

"Thank you, Dobby, it will only take a few minutes." Remus walked to the other side of the room and was working on making a copy of the book.

"Sirius."

"Yeah, Pup, you have something on your mind."

"Yeah, I do. I just want to advise you to get a copy of Witch Weekly. I think that you will be interested in what you'll find."

"I don't usually read it. What makes you think that I'll be interested?"

"I'm going to be in it."

"I understand that you're always in it."

"Yeah, but this time it's my idea. I sold them photos of myself for them to publish."

"Why did you do that? I thought that you hated being in that rag, why did you change your mind?

"I want to use them to get people to think that I'm in Africa while I'm telling the Daily Prophet that I'm here."

"I don't understand, but it seems that you have a plan. You don't have to explain, if you don't want to."

"Thanks, I do have a plan, either the Prophet or Witch Weekly is correct. Rita Skeeter as well as the Daily Prophet are about to lose a lot of credibility."

"That couldn't happen to a better reporter."

Dobby popped back with the book while Remus returned to the conversation. "All done, Cub, I want to read this carefully, and I'll let you know what I think. Since you had the book, do you think you might have a stone?"

"I don't know, I intend to look tomorrow and see what I can find."

"Fair enough." With that Harry, Remus, and Sirius made small talk for a while before Harry signed off. Before he left the mirror room he decided to try Cornelius Fudge again without success. He didn't know why he didn't think of it before, but he tried 'Lord Voldemort' and 'Tom Riddle', also without success. He really didn't expect to see Voldemort, as ugly as he was he probably wasn't too keen on having mirrors around. He tried Lucius Malfoy again and found him in a dining room eating his supper.

"Narcissa, do you have the arrangements finalized for the charity ball for St. Mungos?"

"Everything is set for the twenty-ninth here in our ballroom. I have included those names from the list that you gave me. Now if you will excuse me I have just thought of a detail about the menu that I need to deal with." With that Narcissa left the room and left Lucius to eat his dinner alone. Harry watched until he finished and left for his study where the mirror view picked him up again. Harry watched for two hours as Lucius either read or made notes at his desk. Harry gave up watching at eleven when Malfoy went to bed. To say that it was a boring evening was an understatement. He wished that someone else had this job. Overall Harry was pleased that the mirrors worked so well for Malfoy, but he was disappointed in not finding Fudge available. It seemed that Fudge didn't have a mirror. If it continued, Harry decided that he was going to have to do something about it.

"Stareé in Speculo", he closed out of the mirror session and went to his room to get ready to spend the night in the jungle. He hadn't had one bad dream or nightmare since he took to sleeping there and with a cushioning charm it was very comfortable as well. Once he grabbed his towels he was on his way to another night of blissful sleep.

Harry woke at eight and turned the jungle room back into daylight. He went to the mirror room and retrieved the alchemy book to put back in his study. He took out the manual on mirrors to look at what it would take to learn how to make the potions involved in creating new mirrors. He needed to learn sometime, and he wanted to do so this summer. He made a list of things that he needed and made some notes about what to ask Ragnok. He was going to need access to his other vaults, and he didn't know how to do it.

Harry also opened the Master ledger to learn more about the gold ore and nuggets that he wanted to use. He found they were owned by the Barony of Northrup. He was going to need access to that account as well. Dobby had breakfast ready for him and he explained to Dobby that he was going to need his help to make a purchase later that day and asked him to come with him. He went to his room to apply his disguise and decided to use the brown wig, sideburns and mustache this time. He wore nice slacks and shirt under expensive robes and thought that he was ready. Harry rang the bell near the door while he waited for the cart to arrive. He quickly returned to his study to get the Ramsey family ring, he wasn't sure whether he was going to need it or not.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter."

"Good morning, Nearfang, I need to see Ragnok and buy a portkey to somewhere in the muggle world where I can buy sheets of glass as well as other stores."

"Very well."

Before long Harry and Dobby were shown into Ragnok's office and Harry was sitting in front of Ragnok's desk after having made the usual greetings.

"What can I do for you today, Harry?"

"I'm going to need access to my other vaults. There are some things that I'm going to need from them. I didn't think that I should ask Nearfang to take me there as I don't know about his knowledge of my ownership of multiple vaults."

"You make a good point. I think that it is necessary to bring Nearfang into part of your secrets. He will be sworn to secrecy under the threat of a painful death."

"I would like for him to be compensated for this new responsibility, at my cost of course. I need to have freedom to access my vaults and get messages to and from my account managers."

"Is there anything else before I call Nearfang in to inform him of his new duties?"

"Only that I intend to create some rumors within the wizarding financial world about the Potter account preparing to raise a large sum of cash very quickly and trying to make a large unknown purchase. They are only going to be rumors, but they are necessary to a plan that I'm working on. If I'm successful it is going to be very profitable and should help me with my Daily Prophet problem."

"If that is all, then I'll call Nearfang in and brief him on his change of status."

Nearfang was given the title of associate manager and the responsibility to do whatever Harry asked of him. Nearfang didn't seem happy about taking orders from a human but the rise in his salary was enough to smooth things over.

"Nearfang, I think that I understand enough about goblin pride to know that obeying a human is more than distasteful. I promise to do my best to respect you and not to be an arrogant human. If I ever act that way I want you to tell me so that I can correct my behavior. Is that acceptable?"

"That is acceptable, with all of your titles, how do you want me to address you?"

"'Harry' would be perfect."

The business with Ragnok was concluded and Harry and Dobby left with Nearfang to get the portkeys that he needed and then go to the lobby of the bank. Harry asked Dobby to stay invisible and to follow along. Harry thought that he would buy what he needed in Diagon Alley before venturing into the muggle world, so they he exited the bank and headed to Mr. Mulpepper's Apothecary.

"Good morning, my good man, what may I help you with?"

"I'm in the need of some potion ingredients and potion making equipment. Here is my list." Harry handed his list to whom he assumed was Mr. Mulpepper.

"Some of these ingredients are quite rare, it will take me a few minutes to see if I have them in stock. Why don't you look around at the potion supplies while you wait?"

"Thank you." Mr. Mulpepper left and Harry browsed the shelves looking at cauldrons, ladles and other equipment. On the end of an aisle he saw a small suitcase labeled as a potions lab for nine thousand galleons. For that much money, it had to be something incredible. He hoped that it was he was thinking it was, and he intended to ask as the shopkeeper when he returned to the counter.

"We're in luck, I had everything that you required. Now, have you seen anything else that you're interested in?"

"I'm curious about this suitcase here."

"That, my friend, is a full potions lab with all the equipment that you need for nearly any potion. As you can see it is very portable and can be expanded with a touch of your wand. Would you like to see it?"

"Thank you, I would."

With that the shopkeeper moved the suitcase to the center of the store and touched it with his wand. It expanded to a large black cube with a door on one side. He motioned Harry to enter, and he found himself in a lab that would make Snape jealous. Harry made up his mind instantly.

"This is brilliant and perfect for my travels, I'll take it."

"Very well, is there anything else that I may help you with?"

"No thanks, this is everything that I'll need."

Harry quickly paid his bill and left the apothecary, he discretely gave the suitcase, the ingredients and his robes to Dobby to take back to the vault. He looked in a store window until Dobby returned and tugged on Harry's sleeve. He took out the portkey from his pocket and both of them were taken outside of a glass supply store somewhere in the muggle world. Harry bought an assortment of plain glass sheets that he intended to use for making mirrors along with heavy leather gloves for handling them. Harry paid the bill while his order was gathered and placed in a large wooden crate. When the supply clerk asked where to send the order Harry told him that he would send someone by later to pick it up. Dobby knew now where to come to retrieve the order.

Luckily for Harry, there were some other shops nearby. He went into a department store and bought a few shades of lipstick. He was really embarrassed to do so, especially when the clerk looked at him funny. He went into a craft store and bought a bottle of rubber cement.

The last shop that Harry wanted to visit was a magazine stand. They took the portkey to an alley just off of a busy street corner in downtown London, nearby was a shop filled with magazines and newspapers, there were hundreds of items from which to choose. Harry looked at a lot of them and it was easy to find magazines with good looking people but it took longer to find the plain and ugly. After nearly an hour of making his selections he paid for his purchases and portkeyed back to the bank.

Harry met up with Nearfang and proceeded to go to the Ramsey vault as Harry removed the wig and mustache. There was a large ornate coat of arms on the vault door that included a suit of armor. Harry placed the family ring on his finger and started feeling around the door until he felt a little static electricity and his hand started to glow. The door swung open and he stepped inside to a huge vault, even bigger than the Potter vault crammed with everything imaginable. Finding something in this mess was going to be very difficult, he hoped that one day it could be organized, but he didn't know when.

"Hello, can anyone help me?"

"Who is it? It has been a long time since anyone has visited," said an elegantly dressed woman portrait.

"My name is Harry Potter, and I'm the current Lord Ramsey. I'm looking for any information about a Kivi stone. I understand that Lord Wilbur knows about them."

"Potter you say? Alright, you will have to walk that way through that aisle and call out to him."

"Thank you, Milady." He didn't know why he said that, it just came out without thinking.

Harry walked down one aisle after another calling for 'Lord Wilbur' until he found the right portrait.

"Lord Wilbur, I'm Harry Potter, the current Lord Ramsey"

"How do you do, young man? It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm fine, thank you. I found your book 'The Hidden Wonders of the Alchemic World' and wanted to ask you some questions."

"I'll be happy to answer if I can. What seems to be the problem?"

"I have taken the summer to learn about my family and there is so much that I would like to learn that it would be invaluable to talk to portraits such as yourself. You know about portraits losing magic over time, you should understand how valuable a Kivi stone would be. Do you know if there are any stones here in this vault or know where to find one?"

"I'm afraid not, there are no Kivi stones left. I wish there were, as I could use one myself. Kivi stones don't last long. They are made and only last a few years, after that more have to be made again."

"That is why we have had no luck in finding one. How hard is it to make one, and how long will it take?"

"One can be made in a few days, and it isn't too difficult if you have the ingredients and know how."

"I read the directions in your book, and it looked complicated. I'll probably have to find an alchemist to make them for me." Harry was thinking out loud.

"Nonsense, I can show you the trick of how to do it if you have a potions lab available."

"I think we're in luck." Harry said while he was wearing a big grin. He thought that he may have solved one of his problems. Harry shrunk Lord Wilbur's portrait and carried it back to the Gringotts cart. He had Nearfang take him to the Potter vault where he was going to set up his potions lab. Outside the vault he found that the Daily Prophet had been delivered along with Witch Weekly. He decided that he would look at them later.

Harry set up his lab in the vault area and hung Lord Wilbur's photo on a wall inside. Harry and Lord Wilbur went over the ingredients and procedure. Harry was unsure if he could do it but he was reassured by the portrait that he would be fine. The only problem is he was missing an ingredient. He needed a tooth from a fully grown Nundu. He sent Dobby to Mr. Mulpepper and found that Nundu teeth were nearly impossible to find, and he didn't know where to find any. This seemed to be a good job for Remus, now that the Kivi search was over.

Harry left the lab letting Lord Wilbur sleep again. It was time for lunch but he wanted to find a book on healing in the vault somewhere. It took him nearly forty-five minutes to find what he was looking for in the clutter and return to the tent. Dobby fixed lunch while Harry got ready for more tanning, he was intending to spend a lot of time in the potions lab working on the mirror potions and making a Kivi stone. He thought that he better use his time wisely by getting his tanning done too.

~~oo000oo~~

Witch Weekly had just come out, and Dumbledore had called for a full Order meeting.

"I trust that you have all seen the photos and the article in Witch Weekly. It seems our fears were justified and that Harry has left for Africa. I would be interested in hearing any ideas about how to find him." Albus looked around the room for any ideas, but no one raised their hand. "We need to find Harry, he is not safe, and in fact it looks like he is in great danger."

"Leave the brat where he is, it isn't too far away for me."

"That is just like you, Snivellous! You are always a ray of sunshine. Why don't you go do something useful like torture some defenseless animal or something."

"What are you going to do Black? Cater to every whim of that worthless brat?"

"No, I'm going to wish him a wonderful trip and hope that he has a good time. Merlin knows that he could use it."

"Sirius Black! That is the most irresponsible thing that you have ever said! Harry needs to be here so that he can be properly cared for!" Molly was getting loud and starting on a rampage.

"It doesn't look like we have a choice in the matter. If he is in Africa, then he should enjoy it!"

"That's enough, it isn't going to do anyone any good to bicker," Dumbledore interrupted, "it won't bring Harry home any faster. If any of you think of anything useful, then contact me right away. This meeting is adjourned."

The arguing continued while Tonks stood in the background wondering about Harry. She knew that wherever he was it was most likely better than with his relatives on Privet Drive, but why did he go to Africa?

~~oo000oo~~

Harry was tanning again while enjoying the article in Witch Weekly. They were going on about his heroic deeds and all the danger that he was in. He had been voted an award for being the most charming adventurer, he was already the most eligible bachelor. There was very little truth in what they published, but it didn't hurt his reputation any more than it was. It was better than being called a liar and delusional.

Now it was going to be even more fun. He took out quill and parchment and crafted a letter to Rita Skeeter.

_Ms. Skeeter,_

_If you have seen the latest issue of Witch Weekly, you have seen an imposter posing as me. Why an imposter would want to impersonate me is beyond my understanding, but let me reassure you that it is an imposter, perhaps using polyjuice potion. If it was me, then I wouldn't know that you called me a "deranged soul devoid of clear thought" on page one of today's Daily Prophet. If I were truly in Africa it may take days or weeks for the paper to reach me and for this note to reach you. I am here in England living with my relatives. I must keep this message short because I'm needed in the garden to fight a beetle infestation._

_Harry Potter_

Harry had Dobby deliver the note to Skeeter and he could barely wait for tomorrow's paper to arrive. The call to Sirius that night required Harry to swear that the photos were staged. Harry warned that there would be more to come. He also told Sirius to be sure to read tomorrow's Prophet.

~~oo000oo~~

_HARRY POTTER NOT IN AFRICA_

_Rita Skeeter_

_This reporter has it on the highest authority that Harry Potter is not in Africa. Incontrovertible proof has been given that he is happily living with his relatives in England. An imposter, perhaps under polyjuice potion, has conceived and executed a dastardly plot that purports that Mr. Potter has entered the jungles of deepest Africa looking for treasure. This reporter has seen the proof that this is not the case._

Harry doubled over in laughter.

~~oo000oo~~

Dumbledore called another order meeting to discuss the Rita Skeeter article in the Daily Prophet. Some of the Order believed Skeeter. Some believed Witch Weekly, but most didn't know what to believe. Again, no one voiced any idea what to do.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry had Nearfang deliver a note to the Overton manager to look for, and accept, a deal from Harry Potter's account. He also instructed him to use the stock in the Daily Prophet as leverage to publish a rumor that Harry Potter was either looking for large sums of cash or he was in financial hardship.

During the next week Harry had worked on making the mirror potions in the morning in his new lab and Wilbur Ramsey helped a great deal. He spent his afternoons tanning. He was having no trouble being nude in front of Dobby; Dobby never said a word or treated him any differently. The afternoons were for reading more journals and practicing healing spells, he needed to learn numbing and healing charms in time for taking his next photos. After talking to Sirius about nothing important, he would have supper, he even had pizza once. He often would spend his time checking up on Malfoy and then try to see Fudge and Voldemort without success. He wished that he could spend more time with the mirrors but he couldn't find the time. Each night he spent in the jungle and slept without one bad dream or nightmare since he started sleeping there.

It was time to take more photos, these weren't going to be fun. He went through the shrunken animals again and found a black panther. He wasn't wearing his pith helmet or boots, only his torn pair of shorts, this time the bottoms were shredded and they were torn on one the side all the way to the belt line. He cast a numbing charm on his stomach and chest and used a knife to create a foot long slice across his chest just below the medallion he was still wearing. He had a lot of trouble slicing his chest, he told himself that he was a Gryffindor and that it needed to be done, so he finally closed his eyes and did it.

He placed the snarling panther and himself facing the camera and he was kneeling beside the stuffed animal. He used his fingers to smear some of the blood across his chest and stomach including the medallion for the first photo. The next showed him partly turned to the panther with his face looking toward the camera, part of the tear in his shorts was visible. For the third Dobby snapped the photo of him kneeling with the tear on the side of his shorts fully visible, exposing a lot of skin. They took the last photo of him standing showing his shoeless feet and with yet a partial view of the side of his shorts. The medallion was visible in each photo.That done, Harry healed himself and went to take a shower to get the blood off. He didn't like to take these photos, but he needed to stress the danger that he was supposedly facing.

Harry went again to Witch Weekly and sold the photos, this time he got three thousand galleons for them. They had to reprint the issue because it sold out within hours.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Witch Weekly had come out with the latest issue and yet another Order meeting had been called. Molly Weasley was at the top of her game. She was screeching about poor Harry and that Albus needed to do something immediately; she didn't say what, but something had to be done.

"Molly, we are doing everything that we can. No one knows where he is, and our informants have been of little use. I'm open for suggestions if you have any ideas."

"Someone one must know something, poor Harry is wounded, his clothes are indecent and he needs someone to take care of him."

"Molly, everything has been done that is possible to do except to decipher what is on Harry's Medallion. Remus, have you been able to shed any light on that mystery?

"I have searched every map I have and came up empty, it doesn't fit any known area that I could find. My best guess is that it is a secret treasure map of an uncharted region and we won't be able to use it to track him down." Remus knew what Harry was doing, and he really hadn't spent any time on it. He was using his time looking for the Nundu tooth that Harry needed instead.

"I say let the panther have him, it would be one less Potter to deal with." Snape interjected setting off another firestorm. Albus left Molly screeching at Snape while he looked on with wry amusement. The meeting was adjourned while the two were still exchanging insults.

Tonks didn't miss the fact that nothing was being done to find Harry and that the meeting was a complete waste of time.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry had instructed Varnok to sell the Daily Prophet shares to the Overton manager at a low price. With the eleven percent of Daily Prophet shares consolidated into the Overton account it would be easier to get the rumors printed in the Prophet. Harry also had Varnok approach other managers including Malfoy's to explore the possibility to purchase Potter assets at a moment's notice.

The Overton manager had the Daily Prophet print rumors that Harry Potter was desperately seeking cash for some unknown reason.

~~oo000oo~~

During the next week Harry did much the same as the week before except for a few things. One evening Harry overheard Lucius talk to someone in the fireplace about him. Harry could only hear one side of the conversation.

"I heard that the Potter brat has sold his interest in the Daily Prophet to Lord Overton and that he might be selling a lot more assets in the near future. I didn't even know that Lord Overton was back in the country."

"You are right we should take advantage of the situation. If he is desperate we can buy his assets very cheaply."

"That's what I think as well."

"The Potters are a very wealthy family, selling off that many assets will bring in a lot of cash. He must be looking to buy something big."

"No, I don't have any idea of what it is."

"You could be right. It might related to Africa, if he really is there."

"I asked Skeeter, and she seemed positive that he was here still living with his relatives. But I know that his relatives are missing."

"I'm not certain that he isn't with his relatives, but the Order believes they are out of the country."

"Yes, it is possible that Potter and his relatives all went into hiding from the Order together. The question is why would they?

"I agree that something is going on, but I don't have any idea what."

"I have told the Dark Lord of my suspicions and he is not happy. He has ordered me to find out as much as I can."

"I'll do that, if you hear of anything as well, I want to know, you understand?"

"Good night, Harold."

Harry didn't know who Harold was, but Malfoy was interested in what he was doing. He was starting to take the bait. Reading the journals helped Harry come up with this plan, but he was still very nervous about it.

~~oo000oo~~

Another portkey returned Harry to 3Q Associates, and he was soon ushered in to see Joshua Brown.

"I have the mineral survey ready for you, Mr. Potter. Would you like to see it?"

"Yes, I have never seen one before, and it would be interesting."

Brown took out the documents from the pouch and Harry saw that a fictitiously named 'Emery and Associates' was written across the top with a fake name of Gideon Stover not too far below it. Brown had prepared a fake invoice and other documents to look real.

"These look like what I need. I have prepared a bank draft in the sum of one million pounds. That should be enough to pay for your house, any taxes that you might face and a little left over."

"It is a pleasure to do business with you. Please remember that we have never met."

"I'm sorry, what was your name again?" Harry grinned and left the office with what he needed.

~~oo000oo~~

During the next week Harry also experimented with the rubber cement and lipstick. If he applied the cement to his chest, folded his skin inward and waited for it to dry it looked like an ugly healing wound. He applied some lipstick to make it look red and swollen. He was comfortable that he could pull it off for the next photos.

Harry had been thinking for a long time about the next photos. He had seen Dudley watching a Tarzan movie and thought that swinging on a vine would be great fun. Now was his chance to try it. Harry was tanning while working in the jungle. Using the vines covering the arches to the rooms as a guide, he transfigured almost all of his old clothes into a long vine that reached from the floor to the top of the tent. The problem was in holding it up; the top of the tent wasn't strong enough to hold it. He tried a sticking charm and the tent sagged terribly. He tried tying the end to an old piece of armor from the vault and then levitating the armor to the ceiling. The problem was maintaining the charm while doing something else. He had to concentrate to keep it up there, and he intended to be swinging during the photo taking.

"Dobby, can you levitate the armor close to the ceiling while we are taking pictures."

"Dobby apologizes, Master Harry. Dobby can only thinks one thing at a time. Dobby canst hold up armor and takes picture too. Bad Dobby, bad Dobby."

"No, Dobby, you aren't a bad elf because you can't do this. It's alright. What about when you hovered my book for me when I read?"

"Dobby thinks about it all the time."

"I had no idea you did that, I would have done something different had I known."

"No. Dobby likes to do what Master Harry wants."

Harry decided not to have Dobby do anymore hovering for him and returned his thoughts to coming up with a solution to his Tarzan problem. He couldn't come up with a solution.

"I guess we will have to come up with different poses for the photos this week. I was really looking forward to this one."

"Master Harry?"

"What?"

"Dobby could askses one of the other elves to help with the camera."

"What other elves?"

With a lot of pops there were more than a dozen elves standing in front of Harry. Harry was shocked speechless. He used his hands to cover himself and he would have turned red if it wasn't for his tan. It was worse when he realized that Winky was one of the elves and there were other females as well. He looked for a towel or anything else to cover himself but there was nothing nearby. He was even feeling a little faint from all the blood rushing to his face, he had been embarrassed before, but nothing like this.

"What are all of you doing here?"

Dobby answered. "These elveses has been given clothes by their masters and theys wantses to bond with the great Harry Potter." There was a lot of head nodding "Theys been waiting and watching until theys needed."

"They all want to bond with me?"

"Yes, Master Harry, Dobby is the lucky one that yous choose Dobby, but Dobby is not alone."

"How… How long have they been here?"

"Theys always been here."

"Always?"

"Always, Master Harry."

If Harry could turn any redder he would have. He had been watched by at least a dozen elves for weeks, even while tanning and sleeping. He felt dizzy and he had to drop to his knees before he fell. This was too much to take in. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths and hoped that when he opened his eyes it just may have been a bad dream.

"Master Harry! Are yous okay? Did Dobby say something bad? Dobby must punish himself."

Harry opened his eyes, they were all still there.

"What did you say Dobby?"

"Dobby wantses to know if Dobby said something bad?"

"No, Dobby, you didn't say anything bad. I just didn't know that everyone has been watching me without my clothes."

"Master Harry, elveses don't care about masters wearing clothes. All elveses sees everything what their masters and mistresses doos."

"Everything?"

"Everything."

"This morning when I woke up and needed to use the bathroom and I was… I was… that is to say that my… my thing was…"

"Yes, Master Harry, we all seen yous's thing, lots and lots of times."

Harry had to sit on the ground he was ready to fall over.

"Lots and lots?

"Lots and lots."

Harry passed out.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry woke up to a clanging sound and a lot of elves jumping around. He was lying on the ground with his hands to his sides. He covered himself again, took some more deep breaths and tried to sit up. He felt hands on his back helping him and he managed to get partially upright. He looked around for the clanging sound and between some elves he saw Dobby beating his head with the piece of armor.

"STOP! Dobby don't punish yourself, I don't want you to ever punish yourself." With that declaration there were a lot of jumping elves crying tears all saying things like 'great and caring', 'wise and wonderful', and 'kind and generous.'

"Would one of you get me a towel and a chair?" There was pushing and shoving between the elves to see who could serve the great Harry Potter". Finally one elf came running from the bedroom hallway with a towel while four others were packing a chair from the lounge.

Harry wrapped a towel around himself as he got up and sat in the chair. He didn't know what to do. He didn't have any idea at all. He looked at the elves and they were all looking at him expectantly with their big eyes.

"You all want to bond with me?" Every head was nodding vigorously.

"And you can't find anyone else to bond with?" All the heads were shaking this time.

Harry thought about the help he needed in monitoring the mirror and straightening out the vaults that he had seen. If the rest of the vaults were as bad as the Potter and Ramsey vaults there would be enough work for quite a while, plus he could use more eyes in the mirror. There were a lot of master mirrors in the vault that could be set up and the elves could turn themselves invisible to watch what needed to be watched.

"You have all seen me watch the mirror and spy on people. Would it violate your bonds of secrecy if you were to watch through the mirror and tell me what is happening?"

"No, Master Harry Potter, sir. Wees can do that."

Maybe he was still not thinking clearly after passing out, but he needed help and only bonded elves could use magic here. If Hermione ever found out what he was about to do, she was going to kill him.

"Alright, I'll bond with all of you. But you are all going to have the same terms as Dobby. Each of you must promise that if you ever feel unhappy with our bond you will tell me, so that I can set you free again."

There was crying and wailing about not wanting to be free again, but Harry persisted. He accepted clothes from each elf after receiving their promise. Harry remembered that he still had to take the photos yet. He had procrastinated and left it for the last minute, and if he didn't get them done right away, then he was not going to get them into this week's Witch Weekly. He asked for the glue and lipstick and spent time creating a healing wound. Now he was going to have to stand up and transfigure a small loin cloth to wear for the photos. He thought about asking the elves to turn around but he needed some of them to help. If some of them were going to see what they had already seen for weeks then he might as well get used to the idea of all of them.

He asked that a full length mirror be conjured and then took the clothes that he wore last week and removed the belt. After transfiguring the rest to look like scraps of the same fabric he dropped the towel while doing his best to pretend that the other elves weren't there. He put on the belt and tucked the scraps of fabric in the front and back to create a loin cloth. He looked in the mirror and then removed the fabric pieces and made them a little smaller. After putting them on again he didn't think that it would show everything. Wearing the medallion again he was ready for the photos.

He didn't know why he ever thought up such an idea as this, it was going to be so embarrassing when he went back to school, let alone everyone else that he would meet. He wouldn't only be famous for being the Boy-Who-Lived. He sure hoped his plan was going to work and this wasn't all for nothing. He didn't even want to think about next week.

One of the elves conjured a ladder for him to stand on and another held up the transfigured vine to the ceiling. Dobby was ready with the camera. On the count of three Harry grabbed the vine and jumped, Dobby took his picture but Harry worried that his loin cloth might have flapped too much. He redid the scene four more times until he thought that at least one of the photos would work. They needed more photos, so they took a photo from the front of him reaching up into a tree but his loin cloth didn't completely cover him, they re-posed him several times before they got a shot of him barely covered. They took the pictures from the back that were even skimpier. They took a lot more photos from every angle they could. Surely in that many photos, some of them would work.

After the session was through, he went to his bedroom, took a shower to get rid of the lipstick and glue and dressed in sweat clothes. He had had enough bare skin for awhile.

Upon developing the film he found that he had two photos of himself swinging and five more that didn't expose everything that he had. He knew that these photos would reach a lot more readers.

That evening when he talked to Sirius he told him that he had bonded with homeless elves to help him monitor mirrors. He didn't tell him that he passed out from embarrassment; he knew that he would never live that one down. He also warned Sirius about the upcoming Witch Weekly. Sirius didn't understand what Harry was doing but Harry kept insisting that it was necessary for his plan. Sirius didn't think that it was necessary just to discredit the Daily Prophet. Harry couldn't explain that it was really part of a scam aimed at Malfoy. Harry allowed Sirius to think that it was a way for Harry to pickup hot babes when he got back to school.

After supper in which he had to settle a dispute between the elves as to who got to fix his meal, they went to the vault to sort out the master mirrors from the rest. Looking at the ordinary talking mirrors he got an idea, but set it aside for later. He and the elves started moving mirrors into the mirror room and one of the other spare bedrooms. He had the elves create partitions forming small rooms to house each mirror. After bringing an old chair from the vault for each mirror, he had the elves block the light and silence the small rooms. He was now ready for them to start watching.

Watching all the Death Eaters that were in the graveyard, along with Fudge if possible, was a priority. The fact that he had not been able to do so was troubling. Something was going to have to be done. Fudge not being able to be monitored was a problem that was going to have to be dealt with.

After instructions to the elves about what kinds of things that he wanted to know, he set them up to take notes.

That night Harry thought that he would sleep in bed instead of beside the pool. He didn't know if he could sleep knowing that so many elves were watching. About two hours into the night, Harry woke with a nightmare. Red eyes were staring at him and Cedric was lying there. The graveyard was twice as full of death eaters than had actually been there. When his parents came out of Voldemort's wand, they laughed at him and told him he deserved what was about to happen. A few minutes later Voldemort was able to break the connection and fire a killing curse directly at him. He woke with a start and didn't know where he was for a moment. He finally came to his senses and got out of bed. The nightmare had really shaken him up. Giving up on the idea of sleeping in bed he went back to the pool and spent the rest of the night peacefully sleeping.

In the morning Harry dressed in his Oliver Thomas disguise, and placed his Northrup and Lichtenburg rings in his pocket. The journey to take the photos to Witch Weekly went as expected.

"Mr. Thomas? Ms. Watkins will be here in a moment, can I get you anything? Tea perhaps?"

"No thank you, I appreciate the offer though." At that moment Abigail Watkins came to the lobby and greeted him.

"Mr. Thomas, do you have more photos for me? The last ones caused us to run a second printing. Are these as good?"

"I can say that without a doubt they are better." Harry gave her a big smile.

Harry left Witch Weekly fifteen thousand pounds richer. He thought that her eyes would pop from their sockets and she started to hyperventilate when she saw them.

~~oo000oo~~

Upon arrival back at Gringotts he asked Nearfang to take him to the Lichtenburg vault and wait for him. The vault wasn't nearly as big as the others, it had only been used by Prince Orson, his wife and his daughter before she married into the Potter family. It didn't have the accumulation of centuries of family artifacts, but it was filled with uniforms, gowns, books, papers and loads of jewelry including crowns and tiaras from the old kingdom. It was a mess, and Harry didn't know where to start.

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls Dobby?"

"Dobby, I'm looking for some papers in this vault, and it is a mess. Do you and the other elves think that you can straighten this out? If you need shelves and things, do you have a way to buy them?"

"Dobby can buy shelves with master's permission." The vault was filled with pops and the other elves were ready to start.

"I'm particularly interested in papers regarding the Kingdom of Orson property. Would you bring them to my study in the Potter vault when you have found them all?"

"Yes, sir, Master Harry" came from every elf.

Needing to go to the Northrup vault, Harry went to where Nearfang was waiting and left for the next vault. This vault wasn't as bad as the other vaults in terms of the disarray he found. There were clear paths through the items. There were no signs that the vault had been opened or used since the last Northrup married a Potter. Nothing in the vault seemed to be newer than the seventeen hundreds.

Walking through the aisles Harry didn't have any trouble finding a large crate of high quality gold ore and the gold nuggets. He could handle the nuggets by himself, but he was going to have to have help from the elves to move the ore to the Potter vault.

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls for Dobby?"

"There is a big box of gold ore and nuggets here that I would like moved to the Potter vault. Could you do this, maybe with the help of other elves?"

With a couple of pops two other elves came and the box and elves disappeared. Harry looked around for a while longer and found more gems and jewelry. An idea that he had from one of the journals started to sound more appealing. Harry asked Nearfang about who he would need to talk to about getting another vault. Because of the unexpected request, Nearfang took Harry up to the bank and guided him to Ragnok's office. After dismissing Nearfang, they got to business.

"What can I do for you today Harry?"

"I would like to rent another vault, I want to consolidate the jewelry from my other vaults into one vault, at least for the time being."

"Are you intending to consolidate the rest of your other assets as well?"

"No, definitely not. I just need to show off the jewelry to a few people and then it will go back to the same vaults."

"That is good to hear, I understand wanting to look at all the jewelry in one place, but I hope that it is kept separately once again for accounting purposes."

"That isn't going to be a problem. I'll need it for no more than two weeks."

"In that case, vault one hundred sixty will work for you."

"Thank you, I would also like to have an appraisal done of some gold nuggets and gold ore from the Northrup vault. I know that there is a value listed in the master ledger, but I need this one done separately in my name."

"Just send the ore and nuggets with Nearfang and he will take care of it."

"In the muggle world there are publications that rank the richest families and give an estimate as to what they are worth. Is there such a ranking system in the magical world?"

"The Financial Times produces a list once a year. Would you like to see a copy?"

"Very much so, do you have a copy now?"

"If you wait a moment I'll get it for you." Ragnok left his office and came back with it. Harry looked at it and saw the estimates for Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Thank you, Ragnok, this has been most helpful. I'll let you get back to what you were doing, I need to be getting back to my vault."

Nearfang led him through the hallways and back to the carts and took him to vault 160. Once he was keyed in and looked around, he called Dobby.

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry called for Dobby?"

"Dobby, I want you to remember where this vault is so you can come back here. Then I want you and the other elves to discretely mark all the jewelry that is found in my vaults with where it came from and then bring it to this vault. I would like to have the nicest pieces displayed with the rest as visible as possible."

"Dobby understands, Master Harry."

"Thank you, Dobby."

Once he was back in the Potter vault, he called Dobby again to fix him some lunch. There was a question that he needed to talk to Dobby about.

"Dobby?"

"Yes, Master Harry?"

"I asked you about bringing the jewelry from my other vaults to put into vault 160, but I didn't ask you if you had access to all of the vaults. You know that I have a lot of vaults and that they are all going to be in need of cleaning and organizing?"

"Yes, Master Harry."

"Can you visit the vaults that I haven't been in yet?"

"No, Master Harry, yous must claim them before us elveses can enter."

"Thanks, Dobby, that is what I needed to know." Harry didn't like the answer, but he expected that was the case. He and Nearfang were going to be busy for quite a while.

~~oo000oo~~

There were a lot of papers that were piled on his desk in his study about the Kingdom of Orson. All of them were really old and musty. He looked through them and after twenty minutes he found what he was looking for. It was a very old geological and mineral survey from the time the property was bought. It showed that there was nothing of value to be found. Harry was pretty sure that this was the case, but it was nice to know that the property was worthless. He would hate for the new buyer to find something of value.

~~oo000oo~~

The latest issue of Witch Weekly was released. They had done a quadruple run to begin with and were planning for more. Harry expected to see the photos that he sold them, what he wasn't prepared for were the close ups of his middle region with graphic speculation as to what was hidden underneath.

The thoughts of facing his school friends again in September caused him a flutter in his stomach. Thinking of Lavender and Parvati made him cringe.

~~oo000oo~~

Molly sat quietly in tears. Her poor little Harry was plastered all over the magazine in a very skimpy loin cloth, with nearly everything showing. She had never seen the like and she was shocked into being speechless. The other Order members were grateful for small favors, they had dreaded coming to another meeting and listening to Molly's screaming rants, at least she was quiet.

"Have any of you made any progress in finding Harry or in finding some way to look for him?" Dumbledore was looking his age, he had just returned from three days in Africa looking for Harry and he was tired.

The meeting went on talking about Harry and Voldemort. No one had any ideas about how to find either one.

Tonks didn't say anything, but she thought that she might have an idea.

~~oo000oo~~

Pigwidgeon fluttered around Hermione's head and interrupted her reading. Upon catching him and removing the letter, she opened it and read it.

_Hermione,_

_Have you seen Witch Weekly? Harry is in it again and this time he is only wearing a skimpy loin cloth that barely covers what needs to be covered. I don't know if this is the real Harry or the imposter that the Daily Prophet claims it is, but the photos are shocking. Mum is in a right state and won't let Ginny see the pictures. Ginny has somehow got a copy of her own and is spending most of her time in her room staring at the photos. _

_I don't know what to make of this. This isn't something Harry would do, but it sure looks like Harry. Other than the tan, it looks exactly like he does when he gets out of the shower._

_Can you make any sense of this?_

_Ron_

Hermione was surprised at Ron's letter, she hadn't seen Witch Weekly since she didn't have a subscription and hadn't gone anywhere that they sold them. She responded to Ron's letter:

_Ron,_

_I haven't seen the magazine and can't really comment on what it could be. It sure doesn't sound like Harry to be seen wearing a skimpy loin cloth, there must be a mistake. Harry is just too shy to do something like that._

_I will try to get a copy and see if there are any clues to what is really happening._

_Hermione_

~~oo000oo~~

Harry spent the best part of two days with his chest of family rings traveling from one vault to another. At each stop he did whatever was needed to open the vault, looked inside for a few minutes and called Dobby so the elf would be able to return with the other elves later. Then he would move on to another vault. Once he was done with visiting and claiming his vaults he sent the gold with Nearfang to have it appraised. Within hours Nearfang returned the gold along with an official appraisal of 3,275,000 galleons.

There were only three days left before he had to take his final photos. He had most of the elves busy in the vaults with the rest monitoring the mirrors so he felt more comfortable returning to his tanning without too many eyes on him. He read the notes that the elves made while watching the mirrors and worked on a project of stringing the gold nuggets together to form a belt of sorts. The largest nugget was tied to a leather strap that could be worn around his neck. He wanted to have them look like he had crudely made them. He had asked the elves to try and they couldn't make them crude enough, they looked like finished jewelry when they got done. That left Harry to do the job.

While he was tanning and making the belt he thought of a letter that he wanted to send to Crabbe and Goyle's fathers. Using a dicto-quill he had to make many versions until he was satisfied. Now he just needed names and ancestries for both families.

The Potter vault had been the first to be cleaned and organized. After tanning and getting dressed one evening he went to the bookshelves in the vault looking for a comprehensive pureblood genealogy book for the British Isles. Looking everywhere numerous times, Harry concluded that he didn't have one. Nearly all the other vaults were so old that they wouldn't contain recent information which left Harry in a bad situation. Later that night he decided to check with Sirius to see if he had one.

"Sirius."

"How's it hangin', Pup?

"Sirius, is that anyway to talk to your Godson?" Harry was trying to get him to stop.

"Sure is, especially when he is parading around in barely anything for the world to see. I hope the hot babes are worth it. What am I saying? Of course the hot babes are worth it..."

"Sirius, I have a question for you."

"I wish I would have thought of the same thing when I was your age. Not that I really needed it of course, but still..."

"Sirius, may I ask a question?"

"What's it going to be next week, a nude Harry Potter?" Sirius grinned while ignoring Harry's question again.

"Well… can we talk about my question, I need a book that you might have."

"You are, aren't you?

"My question is…"

"Harry, I don't know if the world is ready for a fully nude Harry Potter."

"Sirius! Just stop! I need to ask my question. Do you have a book on genealogy for purebloods over the last hundred years or so?"

"I don't know, why? Is it important?"

"Yes, it is very important to what I'm working on. Can you check and let me know?"

"Sure thing, Pup, if it is important I think there is one around here somewhere. My mother lived by that book, I don't think that it has been thrown out. Remus and I will take a look. Is tomorrow soon enough?"

"Tomorrow will be fine. Has Remus had any luck in finding the Nundu tooth yet?"

"He is meeting someone tomorrow who might have a lead on one."

"Well that is good news at least."

"Now, about your next photos…"

Harry and Sirius argued for quite a while about it. Harry tried to convince him that it was necessary to reach as many people as possible to discredit the Daily Prophet and Sirius kept talking about hot babes and how it wasn't necessary to go any further. Harry didn't tell him about the gold that he was about to find. Neither made any headway in their arguments when they ended the call.

The next day was spent as usual, tanning and reading journals. In the evening Harry got the news that Remus had found Nundu teeth. It had cost a fortune but Harry was thrilled, now he could make Kivi stones. Sirius had also found his mother's genealogy book. Harry had Dobby retrieve both.

Early the next day Harry entered his portable potions lab and with Wilbur Ramsey's help he started on making a Kivi stone. It was unlike anything that Harry had done before but the portrait said that he was doing a good job.

Between the steps to making the stone, he worked on making a talking mirror. He had made the potions earlier and was nervous about imbuing the mirror with a spirit. He moved a sheet of glass onto a large table and coated it with the first potion. Then the hard part came. He looked at a photo in the magazines that he bought weeks ago and thought of the characteristics that he wanted in the spirit and cast a spell from the manual. He coated the mirror with the second potion to hold the spirit in place, cast another spell that made the spirit answerable to him and connect to the master mirror. Finally he coated the mirror with a sealant that would stop anyone from analyzing the coatings to learn the Potter secrets. After standing the mirror upright against the wall Harry started.

"Hello, can you hear me?" A figure appeared in the mirror that looked just like the picture that he looked at.

"Hello, nice tan, but what are you wearing?"

"These are my sweat clothes. They are very comfortable."

"I hope that you are not going to wear them in public because they don't do anything for your looks. You need to wear clothes that compliment your eye color, and what have you done with your hair?"

"Unfortunately my father had hair just like this, and I inherited it from him. Nothing that I try does any good."

"That is too bad, I guess that you will just have to do the best with what you have."

"I guess so, thanks for the advice, I need to get back to my other task." With that Harry moved the mirror to the side and went back to the Kivi stone.

~~oo000oo~~

Soon it was the last day for taking photos, Harry was finally going to be done with this part of his plan. Harry and the elves spent the day taking photos of Harry. He intended to sell a lot of photos of him and the gold. The gold ore was poured from the box into a pile near the pool and waterfall. Mud was carefully placed near it but the unmistakable sparkle from the gold was clearly visible. A few medium size nuggets were partially buried in the ore. It looked like the ore and mud had come from the softly swirling water. Harry smeared mud on himself and kneeled sideways to the camera without a stitch of clothes, only the side of him could be seen. He was wearing the gold nugget belt and was carefully posed so that where his chest scar should have been was turned away from the camera. He was smiling and waving toward the camera.

Next came the snakes, he had asked Dobby to go out and buy a dozen fresh rabbits, and told the rest of the elves to stay far behind him. He cast 'Serpensortia' while thinking of different snakes found in his travel books. He was able to produce a Black Mamba, Boomslang, and Python, though they weren't happy to be summoned from their homes Harry was able to persuade them to cooperate by promising them a quick trip back and a meal of fresh rabbits.

The gold ore was moved near a bush and redistributed with more nuggets glistening. Harry appeared with the Boomslang around his neck with the body of the snake across where the chest scar should have been. The photos showed him and the snake facing the camera with a leaf blocking the view of his personal jewels, the gold nugget belt was very visible.

Another shot was with the Black Mamba around his neck while partially covering his chest. The snake and he were facing the camera close up wearing the belt slung very low on his hips. It was so far below his navel that a bit of hair was showing. He was wearing the medallion and he was holding out the biggest nugget in front of him with the best smile that he could give.

The last photo with the snakes was with the Python. It was easily three meters in length and Harry stood facing forward while he had it slither from between his legs up to his shoulders, hiding what needed to be hidden, again while he was wearing the belt and necklace.

Harry banished the snakes back to where they came from and sent the rabbits along with them.

For the last shots Harry went to the shrunken animal collection and found the elephant. He enlarged it to normal size but then thought about it and made it even larger. The elves helped him to conjure large burlap bags and loaded them full of rocks that the elves conjured as well. They slung the bags across the stuffed elephant and Harry jumped onto the back looking like he was leaving with the gold. By careful positioning he was able to keep what little modesty he had left, though he wasn't at all sure why. He had shown all but a few centimeters of himself how much worse could it be? Then he thought about Molly Weasley and he knew how much worse it could be. She was going to be hard to deal with, but if Malfoy took the bait and lost his fortune, then putting up with Mrs. Weasley would be worth it. After taking three shots of himself on the elephant he was through. No more photos. If everyone in magical Britain, and most of Europe, didn't know that he had been to Africa and struck gold, then there was nothing left he could do.

~~oo000oo~~

_Dear Ms. Skeeter,_

_As you are well aware, there has been a very daring imposter that has been posing as me in an effort to do irreparable damage to the public opinion of me. That person wants to make me look like some kind of adventurer and larger than life superhero. His obvious goal is to embarrass me, to inflate my fame to impossible levels and to set unreal public expectations in which I am sure to fail. I don't know why he is doing what he is doing. It makes no sense to me to make me even more popular than the minister, what is the point? Whatever the reason - and it can't be good - I encourage you to protect the people and print the truth that I am not the person portrayed in Witch Weekly. _

_I hope that you also mention that the latest photos have embarrassed me greatly. I would never appear dressed like those photos that were published. _

_I have not made any public appearances this summer and other than in these messages to you, I have not made any public statements either. _

_I am not an adventurer unless you were to consider chasing a beetle across my bedroom floor to be exciting._

_Harry Potter_

~~oo000oo~~

_IMPOSTER EMBARASSES HARRY POTTER_

_By Rita Skeeter_

_In an exclusive interview with this reporter, Harry Potter has confirmed that he is being impersonated in an effort to embarrass him and further inflate his overinflated public image. The imposter intends to further discredit him and ruin whatever is left of his reputation. Mr. Potter stated that he would never dress like the imposter in the photos and he is deeply embarrassed by what has been shown in Witch Weekly._

Harry laughed until his sides ached. Skeeter had made the claim that she had personally interviewed him when all that happened was she received a short message. She couldn't stop lying if her life depended on it. She was hanging herself with her own words and Harry could hardly wait to let the world know.

~~oo000oo~~

It was time that Oliver Thomas made his last appearance. With another portkey to Witch Weekly, Harry once again was shown to Abigail Watkins' office.

"Please tell me that you have more photos for me, we have never had to print so many copies as we did last week."

"I think that you should be prepared to print even more than that. What would you say to a lot of photos of a nude Harry Potter?"

Abigail's mouth dropped open and she couldn't speak. When she saw the pictures she was drooling. Thoughts of a special collector's edition came to her mind and she could only see the money that would be pouring in.

Harry left her office fifty thousand galleons richer and walked behind the building to use his portkey when he heard "Stupefy".


	9. Chapter 9

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Chapter 9

Tonks looked at the man that she had just rendered unconscious and saw that he was wearing a wig that was slightly askew after he fell. She removed the wig to find a mop of unruly black hair, she tugged on the mustache and sideburns to reveal Harry Potter wearing makeup to hide a dark tan. After casting incarcerous on him she re-enervated him.

"What's going on, Harry, just what are you up to? Never mind, you can explain it to Dumbledore."

"No, wait! I can explain!" Harry's mind was trying to come up with a story that might save himself.

"I'm listening, and this better be good."

"Can I have my disguise back and go somewhere where we can talk?"

Tonks thought about it and decided that she had nothing to lose by listening. She released him from his bonds and handed back the wig, sideburns and mustache. After helping him apply his disguise properly, she had him lead the way to a nearby restaurant and held her wand on him under the table.

"Okay, talk."

"First, put up a privacy bubble and tell me who you are? I would like to know who I'm talking to."

She cast a notice-me-not spell as well as silencing the booth they were in. "My name is Tonks, just Tonks. I'm an Auror and a member of the Order."

"Alright 'just Tonks.' I haven't been to Africa, everything has been faked. This whole thing is to discredit the Daily Prophet. I'm sick to death of what they print, and I'm doing something about it. I tried to buy the paper, but no one will sell their shares. There are mostly Death Eaters like Malfoy who own it and use it to extort and steal from honest people. The fact that they can libel Dumbledore and me is just a bonus. I was put in contact with the Prince of Lichtenburg and his goal is to bankrupt Lucius Malfoy. My reward in this is to receive enough shares of the Daily Prophet to have control."

Harry continued. "I had the opportunity to get rid of my relatives and go into hiding. I knew that if Dumbledore found me he would do anything to bring my relatives back and force me to stay there. I'm through with them and will never live with them again."

"I don't blame you there. I heard them yelling when I was on guard duty on Privet Drive, and I don't see how you managed to put up with it as long as you did."

"You were on guard duty? I didn't know that the Order had placed guards there."

"Oh, yeah, we were supposed to keep an eye on you to make sure that nothing happened to you."

"More like to keep me prisoner and stop me from leaving. Even if I could leave my relatives, I would only change my jail to either Grimmauld Place or the Burrow. Both of which would keep such a close eye on me that I wouldn't be able to do anything. This plan will do more to fight Voldemort than all the efforts of the Order put together. If Malfoy, and maybe others, are broke, then that will severely impact Voldemort and his recruiting efforts. It is a win-win for everyone. The Prince gets what he wants, I get control of the Daily Prophet and Moldy Shorts takes a big hit. None of this can get done by my being locked up."

"But you are not safe, you need to be protected."

"I'm safer than you can imagine. My trips to Witch Weekly are my only times that I'm vulnerable and I'm always in disguise. Did you recognize me or were you taking a chance that whoever I was pretending to be would know where I was?"

"I didn't recognize you. That is a good disguise, what happened to your glasses and eye color?"

"I went to a muggle eye doctor and got contact lenses that changed the color of my eyes."

"What about this safe hideout? If I go along with this scheme of yours I'm going to have to know that you are safe."

"If I show you where it is, will you let me go?" Harry thought that giving away his location would be worth saving all of his efforts.

"That depends if I think it is safe or not."

"Okay, I'm sure that you will approve. If you think that I'm safe, you will let me go, right?"

"That's the deal."

"Okay, I have a portkey that will take us there."

"How did you get a portkey?"

"You'll see."

Harry and Tonks went back to the alley that they came from and Harry activated the portkey. When they appeared in Gringotts, Tonks looked very confused.

"Why are we here instead of your hideout."

"This is part of my hideout, wait until you see the rest of it."

Nearfang approached and Harry and Tonks went to the Potter vault. Harry opened the vault to show her the tent.

"After you, Tonks"

Tonks was speechless, her first view of the jungle was a lot like Harry's and Harry was enjoying the look on her face.

"You see, Tonks, I'm perfectly safe. I have been living in Gringotts where no one can get in unless I let them."

"So this is where the photos were taken?"

"Yup, everyone of them. You see, no danger at all. Let me show you around."

Harry took her to the study, kitchen, bedrooms and lounge."

"So this is what a safari model tent looks like? It's not a tent to take on a safari?"

"The man that ordered this tent was a big game hunter, and I assumed that he was going to take it with him to Africa, but I'm not."

"Do you live here alone?"

"Elves!" With a more than a dozen pops they were surrounded by elves. "Nope, I'm not alone. I have all the help that I need, and they will defend me if I need it."

"I don't believe it. The Order is running around looking for you, and you couldn't be safer. Why didn't you tell someone?"

"And risk being put back in jail? No way!"

"Tell me more about your plan. Is there any way I can help?"

"Dobby, can you bring a couple of chairs into the jungle for me?"

With a couple of pops the chairs arrived and Tonks and Harry had a seat.

"The plan is simple, the photos that I delivered to Witch Weekly are going to be the biggest thing that has been seen for a very long time."

"I thought the last issue was huge, what have you done now?"

"I appear nude, not that everything shows, just carefully posed views."

"Why would you do that?!"

"It's for several reasons, I need Witch Weekly to rival the Daily Prophet in circulation and be seen by as many people as possible.

"I intend to strongly tell the world that the photos were private photos of my adventure in Africa and were published without my permission. With this acknowledgement that I really was in Africa, then everyone will know that the Daily Prophet and Rita Skeeter's reputation are worthless.

"Another reason is that in the photos I'm posed with lots of gold. Every shot shows gold nuggets and gold ore. I want everyone to think that I have found gold in the remotest parts of Africa. I have forged documents that show there is more gold there than Malfoy can even dream about. That is the bait for Malfoy and others to try to purchase the most worthless piece of property that you can imagine out from under me. The property is owned by the Prince and he is going to put it out for public bids. I intend to bid the entire Potter fortune to buy it. I know that Malfoy will continue to outbid me, and the Prince will only accept Malfoy's bid so I know that I'll be safe. I have already let it be known that I'm trying to raise a huge amount of cash."

"Yeah, I read about that in the Prophet."

"You and a lot of other people, after Witch Weekly comes out it will be obvious why I'm trying to raise the money. The Prince has others lining up to bid to raise the bid amount to everything that Malfoy is worth and then some. Once Malfoy has reached his limit the Prince is going to sell it to him. Malfoy is going to find himself with more crocodiles and dangerous wild creatures than he can handle."

"How will you know that Malfoy has reached his limit?"

"That is a Potter family secret and I can't reveal that to you, but I have that part covered."

"Is there anything that I can do to help?"

"The weakest part of my plan is to have Malfoy accidently discover the forged documents. I need a way to get them to him so he won't be suspicious. He is having a charity ball for St. Mungos next Saturday evening, then a week from today, on Monday, the bidding will end and the Prince will announce the winner. Do you think that you could get the documents into Malfoy Manor?"

At this Tonks changed her appearance to look just like Harry.

"Wow! How did you do that?"

"I'm a metamorphmagus, I can change my appearance at will, I can impersonate just about anybody."

"I have never seen anyone do that. Is it hard to do?"

"You have to be born with the talent. There are very few people who can do what I do, I'm the only one in Britain."

"Do you think that you can crash the party?"

"Easily, I'm the best Auror for stealth. Is there anything special about leaving them?"

"I was thinking about having a cloak left behind with the documents left inside."

"That is easy to do."

"Tonks? This is going to stay just between you and me isn't it?"

"I won't tell a soul."

"Thanks, I really appreciate it."

Harry handed the survey and gold appraisal to Tonks and then he thought about Abner Adkins, he might be able to get him to create some of the documents that he needed, but he didn't want Abner to know about everything. He thought it better to spread the work around so that his secrets would remain safe.

"Do you know an attorney that can make some creative documents for me?"

"Just how creative and why?"

"I need documents that will show that someone will inherit a very large amount of jewels and jewelry if they only pay for the inheritance tax on it. All completely fake of course, it is just another way to bankrupt more Death Eaters."

"Who?"

"Crabbe and Goyle."

"Where are you going to get enough jewelry to make this scheme work?"

"If you are ready to leave this vault, I can show you another one on our way back to the surface."

"This I have to see. There are that many jewels?"

"Just wait, there is a thousand years' collection."

Harry rang the bell for Nearfang and went to vault 160. Harry hadn't been in it since the elves moved everything in. Both Tonks and Harry were dumbfounded by the amount of treasure that was in the vault. There were satin cushions displaying crowns, tiaras, diadems and scepters. Rings of all sorts filled display cases with every design and style imaginable. Jewel encrusted chests were open and filled with necklaces, bracelets and un-mounted gems. They were lined up on shelves on each wall. There were more shelves down the middle of the vault. Everywhere you looked there were more piles of gems and precious jewelry. Harry wondered if there had ever been so much treasure in one place before.

"I can't believe this, is this really yours?"

"Yeah, my family has been collecting it forever. I don't know how much it is worth but I'm going to have it appraised tomorrow. I'm not going to use what's in this vault to bid against Malfoy. I don't want it to get out that the Potters have this, it would be embarrassing."

"How can you be more embarrassed than those photos? This is nothing compared to that."

"The photos are necessary, showing this off is not. I don't want many people to see this."

"I guess I can sort of understand that."

"What I need are papers showing that Crabbe's long lost great aunt from Australia left this here in Britain and it is now part of her estate. She left it to the head of the Crabbe family, but he will have to pay a big inheritance tax to the Australian Ministry. I also want the same paperwork for the Goyle family. Naturally when it comes time for them to collect the vault contents it will be empty, and my disguise and I'll be long gone."

"Won't Crabbe and Goyle tell each other?"

"Would you? Wouldn't you wait until it is all over before mentioning it?"

"I see your point. You are really going to do this?"

"I don't see why not. There is nothing to lose, either they take the bait or they don't. I bet their greed gets the best of them."

Harry closed up the vault and they rode back to the surface with Nearfang.

"Let me talk to my father, he is a lawyer and he hates Death Eaters at least as much as I do."

"I'm nervous about letting too many people know about this. Can we limit it to just your father?"

"No problem, he should be able to fix this up so it looks legitimate. But I think that you need to talk to him and explain this."

"Could you set it up for here in the bank sometime tomorrow morning? I would like to get this done at the same time as Malfoy gets what's coming to him."

"How does 10 o'clock sound?"

"I'll be watching the lobby for him. Can you give me a description?"

Tonks told him what her father looks like and then left the bank, with any luck he would have this scam ready in time.

Before returning to the Potter vault, Harry asked to speak to Ragnok about getting a team of appraisers down to the jewelry vault as soon as possible. Harry told him that cost was not a problem that he needed the appraisal done very quickly. For the right price, Ragnok ordered the teams of Gringotts' jewelry experts to immediately follow Harry back to the vault and get started. Harry spent the next few hours in the vault watching teams of goblins at work. When they were through he was told that the appraisal would be ready after 10 o'clock in the morning.

~~oo000oo~~

"Please, let this meeting come to order. Does anyone have any information about the whereabouts of Harry or why the report in the Daily Prophet says that he is trying to raise a lot of money?"

Molly opened her mouth. "What's the matter with you people? We have to find poor Harry, anything might have happened to him and we are all standing around doing nothing. Someone must have an idea." Her voice was getting higher and a rant was sure to follow. "What about you, Severus? Does He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named know where he is?"

"I don't believe that he does. He has been asking for any information and seems to be in the same position that the Order is."

"Someone must know something. Harry can't just disappear without a trace and end up in Africa." Molly one again was getting wound up.

"Molly, everything that can be done is being done. My trip to Africa was fruitless, and there are too many places to look - it is a very big continent."

"But look at how he is dressed, he has lost nearly all his clothes and is practically naked with wild creatures everywhere. Something must be done!"

Tonks, Sirius and Remus were standing in the back watching what was happening. Finally Sirius spoke up.

"Wherever Harry is, it seems that he is having an adventure of a lifetime. I hope that he is having a great time."

That just sent Molly over the edge and no one could say another word. Everyone filed out of the room and left her ranting.

~~oo000oo~~

"What do you have to report Severus?"

"Nothing, My Lord, the Order still doesn't have any idea where Potter is or why he is trying to raise as much money as he can."

"Potter just can't disappear without leaving a trace. Someone knows where he is, and I want you to find them."

"I'll do my best, My Lord."

"You had better do more than that. You don't want to feel my disappointment."

"As you wish."

~~oo000oo~~

Once again Harry woke from sleeping next to the pool in the jungle. Dobby woke him in time to get dressed, have breakfast and get to the lobby before 10 o'clock. He was able to recognize Ted Tonks by the description.

"Mr. Tonks? It is a pleasure to meet you sir."

"Mr. Potter, it is my pleasure to meet you as well, especially since you have half of the wizarding world looking for you."

"Yeah, it is too bad about that, but it is necessary. Will you come this way? I don't want to be seen here in the lobby."

Both of them went into a small conference room that Harry had reserved from Nearfang.

"How much did your daughter tell you about what I'm doing?"

"She said that you need fake documents showing that if a Death Eater wants to claim an inheritance, then he must pay the tax associated with it."

"Let me explain a little more. Would you give me your oath that you won't reveal what I'm about to tell you?"

"Lawyers must keep confidential all information from their clients. There is no problem giving you my oath."

Harry received the oath and had Nearfang retrieve the jewelry appraisal. Both Ted Tonks and he were shocked. Harry knew there was a lot of value but he had no idea that it was worth 140 million galleons. This was some pretty rich bait for his scheme. Harry went on to explain to Ted Tonks that he was intending to bankrupt both Crabbe and Goyle and he had a plan for Malfoy as well. He also explained about the Daily Prophet and how he wanted control. The plan only needed official sounding documents that would fool both men long enough for Harry and the jewels to disappear. Ted hesitated for a few minutes, this wasn't legal and he could get in a lot of trouble, but if it could help destroy Death Eaters, just for an hour's worth of work, then it would be worth it.

"Alright Harry, you have a deal. But I'm going to have you give me an oath as well that only you and my daughter are to know about this."

"No problem at all."

The oath was given and Ted said that he would deliver the papers later in the afternoon. They shook hands and Harry was on his way back to the vault.

~~oo000oo~~

_Dear Mr. Crabbe,_

_It is my sad duty to inform you that your great aunt Gertrude in Australia has passed away and you are mentioned in her will. She has a large collection of gems and jewelry in a Gringotts vault and she has left them all to your family. Unfortunately the Australian Ministry is aware of this and is trying to confiscate them in lieu of collecting the taxes. They have decreed that they intend to have the items shipped to Australia next week unless a twenty five percent inheritance tax is paid immediately. This is a very sizable amount of money that we are talking about and it is imperative that you act immediately to secure your interest. _

_If you are interested in meeting with me, please meet me in the lobby of Gringotts at 10 o'clock in the morning. I would advise that you bring a jewelry appraiser with you so that you can be assured that what you are about to see is real._

_Sincerely,_

_Oliver Thomas_

Harry penned a similar letter to Goyle only using a second cousin and scheduled a meeting for tomorrow afternoon. From the Financial Times that Ragnok showed Harry, he purposely set the amount for the supposed inheritance tax to be thirty five million galleons, about five million galleons more than each of them was said to have. They would have to borrow money to make the deal and Harry was intending to see to it that they get a loan and that he would then own the loan through one of his accounts. Now it was time to see if they would take the bait.

While he was busy writing, Harry wrote a message to be sent later to the Lichtenburg account manager telling him what he wanted done. The message stated that he was to take out an ad in Thursday's Daily Prophet saying that the Kingdom of Orson was to be put on the auction block to be sold to the highest bidder by next Monday at noon. He was then told he could only secretly accept the bid placed by Lucius Malfoy. Another notice was to be placed in the Daily Prophet demanding that the gold that Harry Potter stole from the African property was to be returned immediately or legal action would be taken.

Later in the afternoon Harry traveled back to the surface to talk to Ragnok. He picked up the separate fake tax papers for Crabbe and Goyle from Nearfang.

"Good afternoon, Ragnok."

"Good afternoon, Harry, what can I do for you?"

"I'm nearly certain that Harold Crabbe and Graham Goyle will approach your bank tomorrow looking for very sizeable loans. I would like to see that you lend them the money and then sell the loans to any one of my accounts. If the Financial Times is correct, they should be asking to borrow about five million Galleons apiece. Also it is possible that Lucius Malfoy will be looking for a large amount of money on Monday as well. I also want him to get what he asks for, and I want to own that loan too."

"I don't know what you are doing, but these are powerful people that you are dealing with."

"They won't be after next week." Harry had a huge grin on his face.

~~oo000oo~~

"Good morning, are you Harold Crabbe? My name is Oliver Thomas."

"This is Oscar Willaby my appraiser. I want to see what you have before we go any further." Crabbe was very brusque, bordering on rude.

"Certainly, this way please."

Nearfang was standing by, and they were on their way. Nothing further was said until they reached vault 160. Harry opened the vault, and their eyes nearly popped from their head.

"Is all of this real?"

"I have an appraisal from yesterday that shows that it is very real. Mr. Willaby, would you take a look at what is here and reassure Mr. Crabbe?"

Crabbe looked at the appraisal and was astonished that it showed that the jewels were worth a hundred and forty million Galleons. He slowly walked around the vault grabbing and looking at everything that he saw. Harry was watching him to see if he was pocketing any of it.

"Mr. Willaby, would you like to compare your findings with yesterday's appraisal?"

"I would like that very much."

After nearly an hour and a half Mr. Willaby talked to Crabbe while Harry overheard.

"It is my professional opinion that this appraisal is accurate. Every piece of jewelry I examined was faithfully logged on the appraisal at fair market value."

"There is no mistake?"

"Not without checking each and every piece in the vault, everything that I looked at was very much real and in excellent condition. I have never seen anything like this in all my years of working in the gem and jewelry business."

Crabbe turned to Harry. "Mr. Thomas, everything seems to check out. Let's return to the surface and discuss this."

"Certainly, Mr. Crabbe."

Harry and Harold Crabbe returned to the surface and paid Mr. Willaby for his time. Nearfang took both of them to a small conference room that Harry had reserved and they got down to business.

"Mr. Crabbe, the Australian Ministry is very anxious to confiscate the entire vault and have it transferred to Australia within a week. It is imperative that this matter be cleared up today so that there is time to transfer the inheritance tax money to Australia and get it certified. There shouldn't be a problem doing so within a week's time, but any shorter time and you will run a risk of not meeting their requirements. Twenty five percent of the hundred and forty million dollar value is thirty five million Galleons. Are you able to pay that much?"

"I'll have to make a lot of sales and borrow a little money but I should be able to do so. Wait here and I'll be back shortly."

"Perhaps we can meet again in an hour? I have something that I need to take care of."

"Alright, I'll be here in an hour with the money."

Harry waited a few minutes after Crabbe left and asked Nearfang to take him to see Varnok. Harry had forgotten one detail. Crabbe and Goyle were going to have to sell their Daily Prophet shares and he wanted to make sure that he bought them. After Varnok assured him that he would take care of it he returned to the conference room. It was well passed an hour when Crabbe returned with no apology for having made Harry wait. He got down to business.

"I have the money here in a bank draft, what do I need to sign?" Harry pulled out the papers and both of them signed in the appropriate places.

"Congratulations, Mr. Crabbe, by this time next week you will own a very impressive amount of jewelry. I'll contact you to let you know when the transaction is complete."

"You said a week. That means no later than Wednesday. I'd better hear from you by then."

"I'm sure that you will. It has been a pleasure doing business with you."

Crabbe left without so much as a goodbye and Harry called Dobby to bring him lunch in the conference room. He had just enough time for a leisurely lunch before meeting Goyle at 2 o'clock. He had one pigeon thoroughly plucked. With any luck, he would have another before the end of the day.

~~oo000oo~~

The deal with Graham Goyle was nearly identical to the deal with Harold Crabbe. Harry was at least sixty million Galleons richer than he was at the beginning of the day. He found that he had another twelve percent of the Daily Prophet from Crabbe and eleven more from Goyle. With the eleven percent held in the Overton account and the six percent that Sirius owned, that gave him forty percent ownership. He was almost there. If his next plan worked he would have all that he needed.

In thanks for what they did, he had a million Galleons deposited in each of Ted Tonks and Tonks' bank vaults. He also learned that Tonks' first name was Nymphadora, he knew that he was going to have fun with that.

_Dear Nymphadora,_

_Thank you for your kindness and consideration in helping me with my problems. I am pleased to say that two pigeons have been plucked with a turkey left to go. I greatly appreciate your help and indulgence. I have made a small deposit into your vault as well as your dad's. I look forward to our next adventure._

_Respectfully,_

_HP_

_Dear Mr. Tonks,_

_I want to thank you for what you helped me with. Without your help, I'm afraid that it may not have worked out so well. Both subjects went very well, and I achieved everything that I hoped. I have made a small deposit to your vault as well as to your daughter's._

_Again, thank you for your help._

_HP_

Harry had Hedwig deliver his message to Ted Tonks while he used a bank owl to deliver to Tonks. He was afraid that someone else might recognize Hedwig if Tonks was with someone. He wished that he could see their faces when they found out.

~~oo000oo~~

When Harry returned to the vault, he found the latest copy of Witch Weekly waiting for him. After he told Dobby to put the jewels back in the vaults that they were found in, he looked at the magazine. It was a special edition filled with pages of all the photos that he had sold them over the last few weeks. The narrative that went along with the photos was lurid and explicit in its detail and imagination.

As Harry turned to the centerfold, his eyes bulged, he swore and nearly fell out of his chair. There was one photo that he didn't remember selling them, it was one of those that he had set aside because it showed too much, way too much, everything in fact. He thought that he must have mixed up the negatives when he made the delivery, because that shot was definitely not in the prints that he showed them. They even made comments that every square centimeter of him was golden tanned. They also mentioned that there were two kinds of golden nuggets showing, real golden nuggets as well as Harry's own golden nuggets. This was a catastrophe. He was dead meat. Mrs. Weasley and everyone else that he knew were going to make his life miserable. Maybe he could just spend the rest of his life in the vault and not have to face anyone. The portrait in his vault was right, maybe he was a pervert.


	10. Chapter 10

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Chapter 10

Harry was sick to his stomach about the photo. What was he going to tell everyone when he was back at school? He had an idea of what the Daily Prophet was going to print, and he hoped that he could solve that problem soon. Mrs. Weasley was going to be insufferable and the teasing that he was going to get from everyone else was going to be relentless.

It was nearly time to talk to Sirius and he knew that he was going to be in for it. He didn't know which was going to be worse, the nudity or the gold; probably both. There wasn't anything to do but take the abuse. He went to the mirror and got ready.

"Sirius?"

"What did that portrait say? You're kind of big for your age?" Sirius chuckled and then let his temper show. "What in the world are you doing!? Didn't I tell you that you didn't have to be nude, that it was a bad idea?"

"I didn't mean for that photo to be sold, I got the negatives mixed up and gave them the wrong one. I should have double checked, it's just that the negatives all look alike."

"I told you that you didn't have to do that to get the hot babes. Now you are not going to get a minute of peace, they are going to be swarming over you day and night."

"That is what I'm afraid of. Maybe I'll just spend the rest of my life here in the vault."

"You have to come out sometime. You will just have to face the music."

"There is over a month before school starts. Maybe they will forget."

"Not a chance. You are going to be more famous for these photos than for being the boy-who-lived."

"You sure know how to make me feel better. I was hoping that at least one person would be on my side."

"I am on your side, I just don't like what you did. What is done is done and there is nothing more that you can do about it but learn from your mistakes."

"I think that I'm going to be learning for a long time to come. Is anyone talking about the gold or are my bits the only thing that they see?"

"Frankly your bits have been the main subject of conversation. Molly's eyes have been glazed over all afternoon, she hasn't spoken a word."

"Oh… It is going to be murder once I see her again."

"I don't envy you... well I do sort of, in the bits department I think you have me beat."

"SIRIUS! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR BITS!"

"Well I didn't want to see yours either, I guess neither one of us gets what we want."

"Talking to you is hopeless, can we change the subject for just a little while?"

"I suppose so, what is on your mind?"

"Twenty three percent of the Daily Prophet came up for sale today and I bought it. Between us we now have control of forty percent. If things work out there will be more available soon, I'm hoping that we can have control before long."

"What do you intend to do with it once you are in control?"

"I was thinking of letting Remus handle it. I trust him, and he needs something to do."

"That sounds like a great idea. Maybe we will have an honest paper."

"That is what I want. I'm stressed out and am going to sleep early tonight. Would you keep your ear open and tell me what the talk is about the gold? That is the real reason that I did the photos, I wanted everyone to see that I had found gold but instead all anyone sees is my family jewels. I screwed up and made a huge mistake."

"I would say so."

"Good night, Sirius."

"Night, Pup"

Settling down was out of the question. He was too worked up over the photos and what he was going to have to face once he got back into the real world. He was going to have to go to Witch Weekly tomorrow and claim that the photos were only for his own use and that he was very upset that they were published without his approval.

The pool and the night jungle had never failed to calm and relax him, but tonight was going to be a real test. Thankfully, it worked, and he got a good night's sleep.

~~oo000oo~~

Draco had seen the photos, he was livid. It was Potter this and Potter that. New photos came out every week, and he was more famous than ever. Now with these latest photos, that was all that anyone could talk about. Even Pansy was glassy eyed when she talked about it. No one knows where Potter is, but his photos just keep coming out. That one photo showed everything that Potter had, and he had much more than Draco, that served to make Draco even more jealous. He was going to see that Potter got what was coming to him.

~~oo000oo~~

"Severus, Lucius, what do you have to say about Potter?" Voldemort hissed.

"Potter is an insufferable show off and craves attention wherever he can. The photos are proof that he is eager for people to throw themselves at his feet and worship him…" Snape was on a rant when he was interrupted.

"Not that you fool, I meant about the gold that he was wearing in the photos. What do you have to say about that?"

Lucius spoke next. "From everything that I could see in the photos, the gold looks to be real. It could be a clever forgery but I doubt that Potter is clever enough to pull it off. Staging a fake discovery while in the middle of an African jungle is beyond his capabilities. It could also explain the rumors of why he is trying to raise a great deal of cash. There were advertisements in today's Prophet that the Prince of Lichtenburg has put up a very large tract of land in Africa for bids and he demanded that Potter return any gold that he has found. Potter hasn't the talent to concoct such a scheme."

Snape interjected. "I agree with Lucius, Potter is too stupid to pull such a stunt. He doesn't have the talent to fake a discovery like this. The worthless brat is likely to have discovered gold."

"I want both of you to keep on top of this. If Potter finds too much gold it could be detrimental to our efforts. The Potter fortune is large, but if he finds vast amounts of gold he could rival or surpass you Lucius."

"Never, My Lord."

"See that he doesn't. Do what it takes to stop him."

"As you wish, My Lord."

"As My Lord commands."

~~oo000oo~~

"Master Harry, it is time that yous wakes up."

"G'way, I'm having a good dream."

"But Master Harry, yous tells Dobby to wakes yous up at 7 o'clock, it be 7 o'clock now."

"Alright, thank you, Dobby."

Harry got up and turned the jungle back to daytime and went to get dressed as Harry Potter. After breakfast, he built up as much nerve as he could and rang the bell for Nearfang to come pick him up. Thirty minutes later he was on the surface and bought a portkey from Nearfang. He arrived at Witch Weekly at 8 o'clock and entered the lobby. The receptionist saw who it was and became very flustered.

"I would like to speak to the editor."

"One moment, Mr. Potter, I'll see if she is available. Please wait here." It wasn't more than two minutes before she was back with her boss.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter, my name is Abigail Watkins."

"How do you do, Ms. Watkins. Are you the one that is in charge of Witch Weekly?"

"Not completely, I handle day to day operations, my boss is Tobias Misslethorpe. He is owner and Chairman."

"Then I'm afraid that I'm going to require his presence as well. You see, this is apt to affect the legal standing of this magazine. I have been wronged, and I demand satisfaction."

"If you care to wait in our conference room, I'll see if Mr. Misslethorpe is available."

"I prefer to stay here with your receptionist for the moment and I would like you to make note of the time. I intend to prove that I'm not under the effects of Polyjuice potion."

"I understand and I'll be back as soon as possible."

In less than fifteen minutes, Harry was in a conference room with Ms. Watkins, Mr. Misslethorpe and another man.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter, I'm George O'Conner, and I'm legal counsel for Witch Weekly."

"Good morning to you as well Mr. O'Conner." Harry turned his attention to all three of them. "How can you do such a thing to me? You have used extremely personal photos of me, without my permission, and shown them to the entire magical world. Imagine my shock when I returned from my trip to Africa yesterday and found a copy of your magazine exposing every square millimeter of me. I would be ranting and screaming right now except for the fact that I have taken a strong doze of calming draught this morning so that I can be calm enough to talk to you. I'm outraged that my privacy has been so violated that I'll now have to face everyone that I meet with shame and embarrassment for the rest of my life. Don't you realize that I'm a minor and such a violation is illegal?"

"Mr. Potter, you are a public figure, and as such there are different laws that apply." George O'Conner spoke up. "Any photos of you are in the public realm and can be published without consideration."

"But these photos were not in the public realm, they were stolen from me and sold to you. They were not taken in a public place, they were taken by a private photographer for my own use. They were never to be shown to the public or to anyone else. You have profited from a theft of my personal property."

"I can understand your feelings in this matter, it is our position that we have done nothing wrong, but if we were to be mistaken in our position what would you be looking for in compensation?"

"I suppose that recalling all copies of Witch Weekly is impossible, the photos are now out there for all to see. I want there to a be an apology printed and sent to each of your subscribers today before more people think that I have done this on purpose. I want to try to salvage a tiny bit of self respect."

Harry could see the three of them looking at each other with a little worry on their faces. Finally, Mr. Misslethorpe gave a slight nod of his head and Mr. O'Conner continued.

"Supposing that we did as you asked, would you be willing to sign a waiver of our actions."

"Only if any future violations are not covered, if something like this happens again, then I'll sue to recover damages. Also I want to approve the apology before it is sent."

"I think that we have a deal, Mr. Potter." Mr. O'Conner continued while Mr. Misslethorpe nodded his head. "If you and Ms. Watkins will work on the apology, I'll draft the waiver, while Mr. Misslethorpe will get the staff here to start printing and sending out the apology."

"Mr. Potter, before we sign any waiver," Ms. Watkins quickly interrupted, "we need to know that it is really you and not an imposter alleged by the Daily Prophet. We have passed the one hour time for Polyjuice but how do we know that you are not wearing a clever disguise. You could be wearing a very powerful Glamour charm and we wouldn't know."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Only one way comes to mind, we must compare you with the photos to be sure that it is really you."

Harry stood up and took his shirt off and turned around.

"Satisfied?"

"Almost, many young men look like you do from the waist up."

Harry couldn't believe what they were asking. They wanted him to expose himself to them and compare him to the photos that they had published. He needed the apology published today and he couldn't do so unless he could prove who he is. He was beyond embarrassment anymore, everyone had seen everything he had in this week's issue. Harry sighed and grabbed his belt buckle.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry used his portkey back to Gringotts directly from Witch Weekly's conference room. He wasn't going to take another chance of being intercepted in the alley. There was little that he could do at the moment to help his situation. He returned to his vault and decided to relax for a while. After the last twenty four hours, he was wrung out.

~~oo000oo~~

_WITCH WEEKLY APOLOGIZES_

_Witch Weekly and its management would like to sincerely apologize to Harry Potter for any possible violation of his privacy. Mr. Potter visited our offices this morning and stated categorically that he did not give permission for his photos to be sold and published, they were intended only for his own personal use. He firmly stated that it was his intention that he was the only one that would ever see the photos as commemoratives of his journey to Africa. _

_There have been allegations from the Daily Prophet that someone has been impersonating Mr. Potter, and we took steps to dispel those rumors. Mr. Potter was in our presence for much more than an hour and didn't have the opportunity to take Polyjuice potion. To disprove any allegation that he was under a strong Glamour charm, he also agreed to verify his identity by allowing our management team to compare his body to the photos in very thorough detail. There is no doubt whatsoever that we were speaking with Harry Potter._

_We regret that we were part of violating his privacy and the exposure of his gold discovery he made during his trip. It was never our intention to violate his personal and business lives. Again we wish to let everyone know that he was severely wronged by our publishing the photos without his permission._

_Mr. Potter has also asked us to publicly state for him that everything that has been printed by Rita Skeeter in the Daily Prophet are lies and distortions of the truth. We at Witch Weekly have to concur with that statement._

_The Management of Witch Weekly_

~~oo000oo~~

The rest of his day was spent in his potions lab working on making a Kivi stone and more mirrors. He was getting pretty good at creating mirrors and was nearly ready for his next idea.

It was time for Harry's daily talk with Sirius.

"Sirius?"

"I'm here, Pup, it looks like you were busy with Witch Weekly. I wish you were more careful in being seen in public."

"I know, but I had to get the apology sent out. I want to try to salvage a little of my reputation."

"Good luck with that, after those photos there isn't too much of your reputation that can be salvaged."

"I have to try anyway. At least this way, I have a little defense when I return to school."

"I haven't asked, but you ARE through selling photos to Witch Weekly aren't you?"

"Of course I'm through! I've gotten my message out about the gold, and there isn't any reason for me to continue."

"Your message isn't the only thing that you have out. What did the apology mean when they wrote that your body was thoroughly compared to the photos? You did keep your pants on for that didn't you?"

"Is Remus around? I would like to have him do something for me?"

"Don't change the subject. You did keep your pants on didn't you?"

"Why would you think that I didn't? It doesn't say that I was naked or anything."

"Then why can't you tell me straight out that you kept your pants on?"

"Well… It's kind of complicated."

"So uncomplicate it for me."

In a small voice Harry responded. "It was the only way that I could prove that I am who said I am."

"Harry… What am I going to do with you?"

"Can we change the subject? I need to talk to Remus."

"Are you going to drop your pants in front of him too?"

"Of course not, I need him to do a little shopping for me."

Sirius had brought Remus into the room and told him about what Harry had done in Witch Weekly's office.

"Cub, are you sure that that was the only way to identify yourself?"

"What other way was there without giving blood and having it tested?"

"I guess you have a point. How many people were there?"

"There was Mr. Misslethorpe the owner and chairman…"

"and…"

"and Mr. O'Conner their lawyer…"

"and…"

"and Ms. Watkins the editor…"

"and…"

"and the receptionist walked in…"

"and…"

"and it drew the attention of the reporting staff…

"and…"

"and some of the printing crew but that was all, I swear."

"Were there any more photos taken?"

"I didn't think of that. I don't know, I had my eyes closed for most of it."

"Oh, Harry…"

~~oo000oo~~

Dumbledore entered the kitchen of Grimmauld place and called the meeting to order.

"Has everyone seen the latest issue of Witch Weekly and their apology that followed today?" There were a lot of heads nodding, but no one spoke up. "If we are to believe the apology, then Harry must be back from Africa, and we must find him."

"I think that we must believe that Harry is back, otherwise why would Witch Weekly hurry to print an apology the next day after the magazine was released? Normally, an apology would wait until the next issue."

"That is a very good point, Elphias, does everyone agree that we should consider that Harry has returned to Britain?" All heads were nodding except for Molly's, she was still in shock and hadn't spoken since the day before. "Severus, would you tell us what Voldemort is thinking?"

"He is convinced that Potter has found gold and has ordered that he be told about anything pertaining to that. He was unconcerned about anything else about the photos."

"That is something else that we have not discussed, what do you all think about the gold that Harry has apparently found?" Dumbledore asked.

"It seems real to me. How else would Harry get those photos unless there was gold present? The ads in the Daily Prophet today from the account manager for the Prince of Lichtenburg offering a big plot of land for sale and demanding that Harry return the gold further support Harry's discovery."

"Thank you, Dedalus, I tend to agree with you. Does anyone else have any other comments about Harry's gold?" No one commented. "Then do any of you have any idea where Harry might be, now that he has returned?"

Hestia Jones asked. "Has anyone checked the Leaky Cauldron or the rest of Diagon Alley? It seems that he has been talking to his account manager in Gringotts, maybe he will be doing so in person."

"Very good point, I think we should all check out Diagon Alley and put someone watching Gringotts around the clock. I'll set a schedule if you will all see me after the meeting. Is there anything else this evening?" Without a response Dumbledore adjourned the meeting and started work in setting a schedule for watching the bank.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry was upset after talking to Remus, he even forgot about telling him to buy what he wanted. If there were any new photos taken would they be considered to be in the public realm? He might be able to pass off the photos supposedly taken in Africa to be stolen, but how could he explain any taken within Witch Weekly's offices? How did he get himself into these messes? The portrait was right, he was a pervert, and returning to school was going to be Hell.

Without an appetite, Harry skipped dinner and started reading the notes about the Death Eaters that the elves were watching. There wasn't much to learn. Voldemort seemed to have asked all of them about the gold, but from what he could read, no one had much to say. Deciding to take a look for himself at Lucius Malfoy, he went to one of the master mirrors and watched for a couple of hours to Lucius and Narcissa preparing for the charity ball the next night. Nothing of interest happened, and Harry went to sleep again in the night jungle.

~~oo000oo~~

Saturday morning saw Harry being woken by Dobby at 8 o'clock with breakfast ready. Harry didn't bother getting dressed until after he was through eating. Why bother? After the last two days there was nothing more to hide, he might as well be comfortable under the 'sun' in the jungle before getting on with his day.

Today was the day that he would complete the work on the Kivi stone. He was going to be doing much of the work by himself because Wilbur Ramsey's portrait was getting severely weak. The last instructions called for the mass that he created to be heated white hot and have a charm placed on it, then quenched in a potion that he had brewed. Harry conjured a blue hot flame and hovered the mass over the flame as he slowly turned it so it would heat evenly. It took over an hour to get the mass up to temperature until it was spitting a few sparks, he placed the charm and moved it over the potion and lowered it in. Steam billowed out of the cauldron as the potion boiled away leaving a very hot rock to cool on its own. In an hour he would know whether it would work.

While he was waiting a thought crossed his mind. He went further into his vault and looked for an old mirror frame. He wanted to use one of the new mirrors that he created to send to Fudge but have it in a very old antique frame. This is what he wanted Remus to do, to go to antique shops to find something, but that was silly, he had far more antiques in his vaults than any antique shop would ever have. If he didn't find it in the Potter vault there were many others from which to choose. With a sudden thought he stopped and called out.

"Elves?"

"Master Harry called for his elves?"

"Thank you for coming. I just wanted to know if any of you have seen an antique frame for this mirror that I made. I would like for it to be carved and very ornate. If it would be covered in gold that would even be better. Have any of you seen something like that?"

One of the elves in the back was nodding his head.

"Yes, Master Harry, Cubby has seen one. Woulds't Master Harry like Cubby to bring it?"

"Yes, I would, Cubby."

With two quick pops Harry was looking at just what he wanted. It was entirely gilded in gold and was gaudy, it would be a perfect gift for Fudge. He thanked the elves and sent them back to what they were doing before. He mounted the mirror to the frame and secured it into place. Now was the part he wasn't too sure about, he needed to get it to Fudge. He had an idea and he returned to the study in the tent. He took out a dicto-quill to disguise his handwriting and began.

_Dear Minister Fudge,_

_I have recently returned to these fair shores and found many delightful things since I have last been here. Of all the things that I witnessed, I was most impressed by how efficiently the ministry is operating. In the few dealings that I have had recently, I found your staff and colleagues to be very polite and most helpful. This could only come from the leadership that you have provided. Recently I was visiting my old vault and found this eleventh century mirror that my ancestors treasured. I can't think of a better way to show my appreciation than to gift this mirror to you with my sincere hopes that you will continue to lead this great nation to an even more glorious future. _

_With the greatest admiration,_

_Harrison,_

_The Prince of Lichtenburg._

This was as sugary and sickeningly sweet as Harry knew how to make it. He expected Fudge to lap it up and fall all over himself from the false praise that the note contained, especially from a prince. He had made up a name and claimed the frame was hundreds of years old, he really didn't care, Fudge had no way of knowing. Now all that was left was to ask Nearfang if Gringotts had a shipping service that could get it to the ministry. He rang the bell, waited for Nearfang to appear and asked how the mirror could be delivered to the minister's office. Nearfang took the mirror and said that it would be delivered as soon as possible, though the ministry was likely closed for the weekend.

With that chore completed, he returned to the lab and checked on the Kivi stone. The alchemy book gave directions on how to make it, but not how to use it afterward. He was going to have to have Wilbur Ramsey's help with that.

"Lord Ramsey, could you wake up again please?"

"Make it quick. I don't have much strength."

"I think that I have the Kivi stone ready, but I don't know how to use it."

"Lay my portrait flat on the floor and place the stone in the center for an hour."

With Dobby's help the portrait was moved to the floor and the stone was placed on top. Within a few moments the portraits eyes opened, and he started to talk.

"I think that you have done it my boy. I can feel strength flowing back into me, it feels marvelous."

"I'm glad. How long will your portrait remain with the energy you are receiving?"

"I should be as good as new, It may take centuries for me to get back to as weak as I was."

"That is great news. Will this work for any portrait?"

"I have never encountered one that it didn't."

"Dobby, that stone that you see on top of my ancestor's portrait is a Kivi stone, it will give new life to old portraits. I would like for you to assign an elf to take each portrait, lay it on the floor and put this stone in the center for one hour before moving on to the next portrait. Please don't use it on the portrait of the woman wearing a ruff that has been calling me a pervert. Once this is done for the Potter vault, then move on to the other vaults. Wait… Let's bring the portrait of Prince Orson of Lichtenburg to this vault and use the stone on him next, then continue with the Potter portraits."

"Dobby understands and will doos as Master Harry asks."

With a pop Dobby was gone, and Harry returned to the mirror room to watch more of Lucius Malfoy. It was important to see everything that he could over the next two days. He watched Lucius most of the rest of the day. Other than meals, a very brief talk to Sirius and a short talk with Prince Orson about his kingdom he spent all of his time watching everything including the charity ball. He couldn't hear very well with all the people there, but he could hear his name mentioned more than once by those attending. Thankfully he didn't hear the word 'pervert' mentioned, but he did hear 'gold' more than once.

Finally the guests left, and Lucius was in his study enjoying some brandy before bedtime.

"Master Malfoy, sir." An elf said after popping into the room.

"What do you want?"

"Mitzi found a cloak that was left behind with this inside." Mitzi held out some papers. Harry was thrilled, it looked like Tonks had done her job.

"Give them to me." Lucius took the papers as the elf popped away. He lost all color in his face when he got to the mineral survey. He whispered, "170 billion pounds… that is 34 billion galleons… just what has Potter stumbled across?"

"Narcissa! I'm going to meet our Lord, he has to see what I just found." Lucius hurried from view and presumably left to talk to Voldemort.

With an elf in charge of the mirror and a request that if Lucius returned he was to be woken, Harry left to sleep once again in the jungle. This time he had a smile on his face, his plan was coming together.

~~oo000oo~~

Sunday morning an elf named Folly woke Harry.

"Folly is sorry, Master Harry, yous must come quick, Mr. Malfoy is talking, and it soundses important." Harry jumped, ran to the mirror room, threw his invisibility cloak on and entered. Crabbe was with Malfoy.

"I don't care what you have going, Harold. The Dark Lord has ordered us to do whatever it takes to outbid everyone else tomorrow."

"But all of my assets are tied up until Wednesday. I have nothing to help you with."

"What about a loan, couldn't you raise money that way?"

"I have already taken a loan which I will repay on Wednesday."

"Just what are you doing? Why is everything tied up?"

"I'm really not at liberty to say. Once this deal is complete, then I'll be happy to tell you about it."

"Alright, but the answer better please the Dark Lord or there is surely going to be pain involved."

"I'm sure that he will be pleased when he hears."

"If you can't be of any help, then just go. I have other people that I need to talk to."

With that, Crabbe flooed home. Harry was worried that Goyle might tell him the same thing and come to a conclusion that they were being scammed. He kept his fingers crossed and continued to watch.

Lucius stuck his head in the fireplace and called out "Goyle House" and Harry could only hear half of the conversation.

"What do you mean that he is not there? Where is he and when is he coming back?"

"Germany and France? What is he doing there?"

"He is doing what? Talking to jewelers? Why is he talking to jewelers?"

"What do you mean you don't know? When is coming back?"

"Wednesday morning is too late. If you hear from him, have him contact me immediately."

Lucius left the fireplace before throwing another handful of floo powder in.

"Nott Mansion!"

"Let me speak to Gilford." There was a short wait.

"Good, you are there, come through the floo I have an order from our lord that I need to discuss with you." With a flash of flames, Gilford Nott entered Lucius' study and sat across from the desk.

"What is this about, Lucius?"

"The Dark Lord has ordered us to buy the property in Africa where Potter has found gold. He has ordered his inner circle to join forces financially and do whatever it takes to win the bid. I'm going to liquidate my assets tomorrow and borrow as much as I can. I want you to do the same thing. How much can we count on from you?"

"Wait a minute, selling everything is a big move, if you sell everything at once then the prices are going to be very low and we will lose a fortune. Borrowing money so quickly will surely have very unsatisfactory terms."

"That is what the Dark Lord has ordered. If he finds out that you have held back then we are both dead."

"I don't like it. There is no assurance that we will have enough to win the bid, if not, we may lose up to half of what we are worth."

"It can't be helped. How much do you think that you can raise by tomorrow noon?"

"With luck I should be able to raise seventy five million galleons, plus maybe another ten if the goblins are generous. I'll do it, but you better know what you are doing or you can forget about the Dark Lord, you will answer to me."

Nott stormed to the fireplace and returned home. Harry was ecstatic, by tomorrow noon he would buy Malfoy's thirteen percent and Nott's nine percent. That would give him sixty two percent with Sirius' six percent. He will have control of the Daily Prophet.

Lucius Malfoy continued to make notes and call more of the inner circle. He kept writing on a piece of parchment and seemed to be totaling up the numbers. Harry wanted to see that list very badly. An idea struck, and he quietly left the room. He quickly ran to his bedroom and got dressed, in his haste to see what Malfoy was doing he was only wearing his invisibility cloak.

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls Dobby?"

"Yeah, I did. Do you know how to make a copy of a piece of parchment or can you remember a page full of numbers?"

"Dobby can't copy a whole book but Dobby can do one page at a time."

"Are you still allowed to go through the wards at Malfoy Manor?"

"Dobby thinks so, Master Harry. Dobby has not tried."

"There is a piece of parchment that I really want to see. If you know where it is stored can you make a copy for me when your old master leaves the room?"

"Dobby doos anything for Master Harry."

"Why don't you turn invisible and come with me back to the mirror and watch what Lucius does with the parchment that I want."

Dobby and Harry continued to watch Lucius for the rest of the day. Once he went to bed, Dobby was able to get through the wards and make the copy that Harry needed. Malfoy also had control of the Lestrange estate, and he included it his list. That was one more pigeon to pluck and another thirteen percent of the Daily Prophet that he was going to own.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry woke early the next morning. It was his birthday, and he was looking forward to the biggest present that he would ever receive. Harry wrote messages to several of his biggest account managers to place bids for the Lichtenburg property, he told them that there was no danger of winning the bid, the bid was fixed, only Malfoy was going to win. He told them to bid up to 975 million galleons, but no more. He sent another note to the Lichtenburg manager to end the bidding and award the bid to Malfoy when his bid exceeded 975 million. Harry's managers were instructed to buy the loans from Gringotts for anyone helping Malfoy.

Nearfang delivered Harry to Ragnok's office, and Harry decided to stay there until the bidding was over. He just couldn't stay in the vault waiting. Harry had Varnok bid 185 million on behalf of the Potter account at 11 o'clock. The bidding was brisk until ten minutes before noon when the Seabrooke account bid 975 million galleons. At five minutes before noon Malfoy submitted his last bid of one billion galleons and the bid was awarded to Malfoy. It was reported that Malfoy was strutting around like he owned the world. Only then did Harry tell Ragnok the full story. Both of them laughed until their sides hurt.

Talking about the numbers made both of them grin widely. Including the 70 million that he swindled from Crabbe and Goyle, he was ahead 1.07 billion galleons in cash and loans. He didn't think that he was ever going to collect on the bad loans but they only accounted for 65 million or so. He had just cleared over one billion galleons after the expected bad loans. That was the same as five billion pounds in the muggle world. Harry was just as happy that he had bought Mulciber's twelve percent of the Daily Prophet along with Lestrange's thirteen percent. He now owned eighty-one percent personally and with Sirius' stock they had a total of eighty-seven percent. The end of the libel was at hand.

One of the best parts was the fact that Malfoy and the rest of Voldemort's inner circle were broke and didn't know it. If they had only had someone in the muggle world try using a telephone this morning to call the Emery and Associates survey company, they would have found that the number didn't exist. Their arrogance and ignorance about muggles had just cost them everything they owned. And with the outstanding loans, anything they will ever own will be immediately confiscated.

Malfoy, most of the inner circle, and Voldemort were totally screwed and didn't know it… yet.


	11. Chapter 11

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Chapter 11

"Sirius!"

"Hey, Pup, did you keep your pants on today?"

"Yep, and I have terrific news that you aren't going to believe."

"Keeping your pants on is terrific news."

"Sirius, do you want to hear the news or not."

"Okay, I'm ready."

"Malfoy, Nott, Mulciber and Lestrange had to sell their shares of the Daily Prophet today. I now own 70 percent and have a proxy for Overton's 11. With your 6 percent, we now control 87 percent of the paper. The slander stops just as soon as the new CEO takes over. Is our new CEO available?"

Sirius was almost speechless. "I'll get him."

A few minutes later Remus entered the room. "Hey, Cub, can you explain about the Daily Prophet again?"

"Voldemort's inner circle had to raise as much cash as they could this morning. They sold everything they owned including their interests in the Daily Prophet. I had my account manager buy them. I now own 70 percent with a proxy over another 11. With Sirius' 6 percent, we control 87 percent of the paper. You are now the CEO of the Daily Prophet. Congratulations on your promotion."

"What do you mean that I'm the CEO? I don't know anything about a newspaper."

"Do you know how to spell?"

"Of course."

"Then you qualify. You start the day after tomorrow."

"Wait, you can't do that. What if I don't make a profit, you'll lose money!"

"The Prophet hasn't made a profit for decades. You can't be any worse. I'm prepared to make up for any losses. Remus, I need someone running the paper that I trust to be fair. I can't think of anyone better for the job."

"How about if I do it for a little while and see how it goes?"

"Fine by me, but I'll harass you if you try to quit."

"You drive a hard bargain."

"It might be good if you take a lawyer with you when you go to the Daily Prophet. Call Abner Adkins, I think you will find him helpful. Oh… by the way… I want Rita Skeeter fired, and do your best to see that she never works for any publication again. I also want the spotlight to be on Fudge's corruption. I hope that he knows the saying 'what goes around comes around.' I don't want you to print anything that isn't true, but if you have people actively looking that would be great."

"That will be my pleasure. Why do you want me to start the day after tomorrow?"

"I want you to go to Witch weekly tomorrow and buy any photos that they may have taken of me the other day. Money is no object. I just made a fortune today and I want those photos even if you have to buy the entire magazine."

"You got it, Cub, I'll get you the best deal that I can."

"As long as you get the photos, I don't care."

"You sure seem to be in a good mood."

"I am. Oh… I almost forgot. Malfoy, Nott, Mulciber, Lestrange, Crabbe, Goyle and others are bankrupt, they just don't know it yet."

"WHAT!"

"WHAT!"

"The Prince of Lichtenburg just auctioned off a totally worthless piece of property in the most dangerous and densest jungles in Africa. The inner circle of Voldemort's Death Eaters just paid a billion galleons for a property where they think that I found gold. They have fake muggle documents showing there are 34 billion galleons of gold on it. Had they made a telephone call to the muggle survey company they would have found out that it doesn't exist. Their greed and arrogance against muggles just cost them everything that they own. They are also in debt for tens of millions of galleons that they have no hope of paying off. Everyone one of them is totally screwed, and they don't know it yet."

"How did you do that?" Sirius couldn't speak, so Remus tried to continue that conversation.

"I have been busy. I had to forge a lot of alliances with other account managers. Malfoy is a very unpopular person, it didn't take much to convince them. Because Malfoy and friends had to sell so many assets so quickly they had to sell them very cheaply. The other account managers made some terrific deals, and they are very happy."

Harry added the last part to cover up that he was owner of those other accounts. Now that he thought about it, the good deals that he made probably made him at least another three or four hundred million galleons richer. His smile just got wider thinking about it. It was a great birthday.

"I suppose that you are going to tell me that taking your pants off was necessary to making this deal happen." Sirius finally could talk again.

"Well that one photo was not what I wanted to see published, but the rest of them were necessary to my plan. I needed everyone to know that I discovered gold, and that is the price that I had to pay. I didn't like it, but I have done more to thwart Voldemort than the Order has ever done. If I had to appear nude to do it, it's worth it."

"So what happens now?"

"I'm expecting that Voldemort is going to lay low for awhile, he doesn't have the funds for recruiting or rewarding his minions. Malfoy is going to send his people into the jungle looking for gold, many of them will never return. The jungle is extremely dangerous with wild creatures both magical and not. If there are too many men killed looking for gold, then Malfoy is going to have to offer them a lot more money that he doesn't have. He has to try to find the gold soon because his loans are short term and he won't be able to get new loans, I've made sure of that."

"I don't know what to say, Cub. This is incredible…"

"Just say that you will buy those photos, I really want them."

"I'll get those pictures for you. I don't know what it will cost, but we all owe you for what you have done."

"You do realize that you can't tell anyone. I don't want it known that I was behind this. If the Death Eaters know about this, then I won't ever be able to be in public. And if the general public learns of it then there are laws about scamming people that I'll have to worry about."

"You do realize that if we don't tell the Order that you are still going to be in trouble with Molly and the others."

"Yeah, I know. I don't intend to show up again until I get on the train, so I won't have to listen to Mrs. Weasley too long. It is going to be rough with the rest of them, but I have the consolation in knowing that Malfoy and his friends are screwed, that will make it easier to take."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I have been able to create a Kivi stone, and I have an elf working to rejuvenate the portraits in my vault. I think that I'm going to take some time to learn about my family. Other than that I'm hoping that the flap about my photos will die down some before school starts."

"So no more nude Harry Potters?"

"Not unless Remus fails to buy any photos that may have been taken on Friday. Listen guys, it has been a really long and exciting day and I need to go to sleep."

"Good night, Cub."

"Good night, Pup."

"Good night."

~~oo000oo~~

On Tuesday, Harry still had things to do. He sent proxies to Remus for the Daily Prophet along with a letter that the Order could read stating that he now owned the paper and that Remus was to run it. He stated again that he wasn't going to be seen until King's Cross Station on September first.

He talked to Nearfang about hiring goblins to confiscate all of Crabbe and Goyle's possessions on Wednesday. Then he watched Crabbe and Goyle in the mirrors and got a kick out of how they were going to spend all their money. It was comical to think what was going to happen to them. He also watched Malfoy strut around his mansion thinking he was going to have riches beyond anything that he could dream. While watching Malfoy he realized that the Malfoy mansion was soon going to be his and he didn't have a clue what he was going to do with it. He didn't know what he was going to do with the other mansions as well. Then there were the family vaults of the Death Eaters. There were going to be more of the same kinds of things that he found within his own vaults, only there would be portraits that he wouldn't want. Maybe he would just leave the vaults alone and let his children or grandchildren deal with it. The mansions were going to be more of a problem, maybe he could give them to muggleborns, that would be justice. There were also other questions that he thought about. Each of them held seats in the Wizengamot, what was going to happen to them? They had value but could seats be sold or confiscated? And what about their titles, can a lord cease to be a lord? He was going to ask Ragnok about that.

Thinking about Crabbe and Goyle he decided to write the messages that he wanted to send tomorrow.

_Dear Mister Crabbe/Goyle,_

_This message is to inform you that I cheated you out of everything that you own. The jewelry has been removed from vault 160 and it is now empty. I have instructed Gringotts to leave the vault door open for your inspection._

_Your loan is due today and you have no way of repaying it. I don't know where you intend to spend the night, but it will not be in your mansion._

_I would feel sorry for you, but you deserve everything that you get. I hope that Voldemort is in his usual nasty mood, you should be in pain for days._

_I am long gone and you will never see me again._

_Oliver Thomas._

Tomorrow, Harry was going to try to watch through the mirrors, he could hardly wait.

~~oo000oo~~

As he was writing the message to Crabbe and Goyle, he thought about Ron and Hermione. He knew that he had to write to them since he was supposedly back in the country. He couldn't tell them the truth as the Order was bound to read it, but he hated to lie to them. He hoped that he would be forgiven once he got back to school.

_Hermione,_

_I don't know what to say. When I got back last week I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Witch Weekly. Those photos were supposed to be very private, for my viewing only to remember my trip of a lifetime. I still don't know how they got the photos, I think that it was probably my guide but I'm not sure. It is too late to do anything about it now._

_I had more fun on my trip than you can imagine. Africa was great and there was plenty of excitement and challenges. You know how I'm always looking for excitement. I bought a medallion from a witch doctor that had a treasure map on it. Venturing into the jungle was a real adventure, there was something exciting every minute, I can't wait to tell you about it when we see each other on the train on September first._

_I know that everyone is looking for me but I want to tell you that I'm very safe and don't want to be found. I doubt that you can convince the Order to stop looking for me because they are wasting their time, I will show up when school starts. _

_Will you do me a favor? Would you buy my school books and supplies for me? I'm not going anywhere near Diagon Alley, so I have no way of getting them. I have bought my robes already but I didn't have my booklist yet. I will pay you back on the train._

_You will probably learn tomorrow that I bought most of the Daily Prophet. I want Remus to run it for me so that it will stop saying the horrible things that it does. Don't tell too many people about this, I don't want the general public to learn about it. They will probably think that I'm slanting the truth to suit my own ends._

_There isn't a way for you to send me a reply at the moment. I haven't found a way to receive mail without inviting trouble. _

_I solemnly swear that I hope that you are having a great summer and finding excitement of your own._

_Harry_

The mentions of excitement in the letter should be enough to let Hermione know that there were things that he couldn't tell her in the letter. She knows that the last thing that he wanted was more excitement. He had faith that Hermione would figure it out and not be too mad when he got on the train.

_Ron,_

_I don't know what to say, mate, I was blown away when I got back and found myself for all to see in Witch Weekly. Those photos were for my own pleasure to remind me of my trip, I never intended for anyone else to ever see them. I can only imagine how your mum is handling it. I apologize for upsetting her, and I know that it can't be easy for you. _

_I can't wait to tell you about my trip and adventure. It was more fun than anything that I have ever done before. I have a lot of stories to tell you and Hermione, but they will have to wait until the train back to Hogwarts._

_You will find out tomorrow that I have bought most of the Daily Prophet. I am as tired of their lies as I was living with the Dursleys. Finally I have been able to put a stop to both. I intend for Remus to run the paper, I know that it will be fair for everyone except Rita Skeeter, she is going to be in for a surprise. This should be fun to watch._

_Now that I am back from Africa I haven't figured out a way for you to safely send me a reply, so it will have to wait._

_I hope that you are having a great summer and practicing quidditch. Tell Ginny, Gred and Forge hello from me._

_Harry_

There was no need to try to hide messages in Ron's letter, he wouldn't pick up on them if he did. He knew that Ron and Hermione were worrying about him and hoped that these letters might help them feel better about it.

~~oo000oo~~

Hermione saw Hedwig coming and hoped that it was going to be a message from Harry, she hadn't heard from him for weeks. After she untied the letter Hedwig took off without waiting for a reply. She read the letter twice and understood that it was from Harry with the 'solemnly swear' in it, she also picked up on the 'excitement'. Harry didn't like excitement. He was trying to tell her something but she couldn't understand what. Maybe the message was that there was a message, but it was too sensitive to put in a letter.

~~oo000oo~~

It was finally time to call Sirius, he was sure hoping that Remus was there too.

"Sirius?"

"How's it hangin', Pup?"

"Stop that! For your information I have kept my pants on all day. Is Remus there?"

"He hasn't shown up yet."

"Do you know how he did with Witch Weekly?"

"I think that he has been there most of the day."

"Do you know if he got the proxies for tomorrow?"

"Hedwig dropped them off earlier, she gave them to me to hold for Remus. That is a smart owl that you have there."

"She's the best. She spends a lot of time with me in the tent, but she still likes to get out and deliver mail for me."

"Hold on, I think that I hear Remus."

A few minutes later, Remus comes into view.

"Well?! Did you get them?"

"Just a minute, it is good to see you too, Cub."

"Sorry, Remus, I'm just anxious."

"I had to buy Witch Weekly to do so, but I think that I got them all."

"That's good then… what do you mean that you think that you got them all?"

"They said that there was one negative missing, supposedly it was destroyed when they tried to develop it. I don't know whether to believe them or not."

"But you did buy the magazine? They won't print the photo even if it does turn up, right?"

"I left Ms. Watkins in charge with orders that she doesn't print any new photos of you without your permission."

"That's good. Thanks, Remus."

"Do you want to know how much I spent today?"

"Not really. Do you have things ready for tomorrow?"

"I think so. Sirius just gave me the proxies. I have never done this before."

"Abner Adkins should be able to help you. I trust him."

"Sounds good. Good night, you two."

"Good night, Remus."

"Night, Remus. Night, Sirius."

Harry slept well that night under the 'moon' in the jungle. Things were looking good, and life was great.

~~oo000oo~~

The Order meeting was quickly called into session, Dumbledore was anxious to get started.

"Remus, I believe that you asked for this meeting and that you had something important to announce. Have you found Harry?"

"No, but I have heard from him…"

"Where is he?"

"Is he alright?"

"Where is he hiding?"

"What does the egotistical brat want now?"

"Severus!"

"Don't say that about my poor Harry!"

And so it went for several minutes, Remus couldn't get a word in edgewise.

"QUIET! I believe that Remus has news for us and we can't learn anything if everyone is talking, please continue." Dumbledore finally restored order.

"As I said I have heard from Harry, but I don't know where he is. I believe that he is fine. He has bought majority interest in the Daily Prophet, and he wants me to run it for him. He sent me the proxies that I need to take over tomorrow."

There was stunned silence. No one said a word for the longest time.

"It seems that Harry has been busy. The last I knew buying the paper was impossible because no stockholder would sell. Now Harry has bought a majority? Remus, did he say how he did it?"

"No Albus, he didn't say, I'll let you read the letter but there is no information that will help in that regard. He just said that he owns or controls 81 percent and Sirius owns another 6 percent."

"This changes so much. It is almost too much to comprehend."

The Order meeting continued for quite a while discussing the possibilities of this new change. Tonks stood in the background, she knew what happened. Harry's plan had worked, and it was likely that Malfoy and others were broke. She wasn't going to say anything; Harry would have told them if he wanted them to know. Harry was getting things done and she was going to do whatever she could to help him make it happen. That didn't mean that she wasn't going to throttle him for what she found in her vault. That was too much, but if what she suspected was true, then he could afford it. Maybe she would just give him a hug instead; of course she would have to stand in line with all the girls that have seen his photos.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry had asked the elves to let him sleep until late in the morning, he woke up and was greeted by a happy elf with the Daily Prophet in hand. He returned the jungle to daylight and read the front page.

_DAILY PROPHET UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT_

_Today we announce that the Daily Prophet is under new management, our new chief executive officer, Remus Lupin, wants to assure our readership that the paper will bring our readers the best possible reporting and set new standards for journalistic integrity._

_It is also our sad duty to report that Rita Skeeter has mutually agreed to leave our employ, we want to give our best wishes to Ms. Skeeter for whatever career that she chooses to pursue._

Harry was going to ask for the front page of this issue of the Prophet be framed and hung somewhere on a wall. He had so many memories now that could fuel a patronus that he will have problems choosing, but this rated near the top. He hoped that he would hear more of the details from Remus later.

During a very late breakfast Harry remembered that he needed to be behind a mirror today. Since the mirror had been delivered to Fudge he had forgotten to check. He couldn't believe that he was so stupid. Today was the day that Crabbe and Goyle would learn their fate and Fudge should have received his gift. Harry hurried and got dressed entered a mirror room and covered himself with his invisibility cloak. Soon he was looking for Crabbe, but the mirror couldn't find him. He had better luck with Goyle, he was sitting behind his desk grinning like a fool. Deciding that they could wait, he checked out Fudge and he was watching his mirror spirit work.

"Do you really like this hat?"

"It looks very nice, your lordship. It says to the world that you are somebody very important. It will make you stand out in any crowd. You will be the center of all attention. Of course if someone else is to be the center of attention, then wearing that hat would be rude and insulting. It all depends on what part you need to play in today's activities."

"I'm going to meet some very important men to congratulate them on a successful business deal."

"Then the businessmen need to stand out, you should try a blue-gray hat, it will look wonderful with your eyes. The ladies will love it. If worn with a light gray robe it will scream class and distinction, not that you need help in those areas."

"Thank you for your help. I didn't know that a mirror could be so useful."

"It is my pleasure, your lordship, I will always be here for you."

Fudge left the room to change his clothes and Harry told the spirit that he was doing a good job and to keep up the praises.

Harry changed back to watch Goyle, and was pleased to find that there was an owl pecking at the window. Goyle had a big grin as he hurried to get the notice that he was now the owner of 140 million galleons worth of jewelry, instead he got the note from 'Oliver Thomas' saying that he had been swindled out of everything. There were long moments where Goyle read and reread the note. Finally he used some very creative swear words and started throwing things. He threw floo powder into the fireplace and went to the Leaky Cauldron. As luck would have it, a mirror from the pub picked up on his arrival to see him stomp out toward Diagon Alley. Harry presumed that he was going to go to Gringotts and visit the empty vault. He only wished there was some way to see his face when he confirmed that he had been swindled.

When Harry had hired the goblins to collect on the loan, the Goyle vault was locked down. There was no way for Goyle to enter or get any money. By this time, the goblins should be arriving at the Goyle home and locking it down as well. The family would be ejected with the clothes on their backs and goblin wards would be placed over the premises. When Graham Goyle tried to floo home he would find that the floo no longer worked. When he would try to apparate home he would bounce just outside the wards. All this would take less than twenty minutes. The family would soon be homeless and destitute.

Switching the view to Harold Crabbe he found that he was a little late, Crabbe was already throwing things. Harry was able to watch as Crabbe also flooed to the Leaky Cauldron and headed to Gringotts. It would be a great deal of fun if Crabbe and Goyle were to meet at the empty vault or anywhere else for that matter. For them to know that they were swindled in exactly the same manner would be priceless to see. It would also be priceless to see what Voldemort does to them, it would not be pretty.

On a hunch, Harry tried the mirror for Lucius Malfoy. Perhaps that is where the two plucked pigeons would go for help. Malfoy didn't show up at his home, he was walking through the lobby of the ministry instead. Harry didn't know how many mirrors there were, but they seemed to be in a lot of places. Now that Harry had one in the minister's office, he was set. A few minutes later Malfoy appeared with Fudge.

"Good morning, Lucius, I'm very glad that you came. Can you explain what is in the Daily Prophet? Surely there is some mistake. You and the others are in control aren't you?"

"I'm afraid not. It was necessary to sell all our assets to pool the money to buy the African property where Harry Potter discovered gold. There is an unbelievable amount of gold there, and it was necessary to do everything possible to obtain it. Luckily we were able to do so."

"But the prophet has fallen into the hands of a werewolf, we can't have that. Who knows what kind of reporting will be done."

"Once the gold is flowing into our vaults I intend to start a new newspaper that will run the Daily Prophet out of business."

"I hope that it is soon. I can't take bad press, my approval numbers will slip, and I might be replaced. We simply can't have that."

"Don't worry, soon we will be in so much gold you will have all the campaign funds that you can spend."

"What if you can't find the gold in time?"

"Potter found it in just a few weeks. There are very clear views of the map that he used hanging around his neck in those disgusting photos that are in Witch Weekly. With the map and more people we should be able to find it even sooner."

"Let's hope so, losing the Prophet is a serious problem to deal with. I hope the werewolf doesn't dig too deep, I don't want him to find all the contributions that you have made to my campaign or what has happened to the money. We could both be in trouble."

"There is nothing wrong with my making contributions to your campaign. That is a perfectly legitimate thing to do. What you have done afterward is not my problem."

"I suppose that you are right. I'm still nervous about the whole thing."

"Cheer up, soon there will be enough money to do what we want. Enough money buys anything."

The rest of the conversation was of little importance. Harry listened, but he didn't learn anything new. He was going to have to tell Remus to have Fudge's campaign funds examined. Perhaps there would be enough dirt to get Fudge out of office. That was Harry's new goal. It was important to his overall plan.

~~oo000oo~~

A lot of time was spent over the next two days watching Fudge. In the middle of the second day Harry watched Fudge pull out a drawer in his desk and say "Excalibur" as he reached in and withdrew something. Harry couldn't see what it was but he pushed a button on his desk and told his secretary that he was going to go to Gringotts. Harry could only think that this could be Fudge's vault key. Why else would he have retrieved a hidden object then declare that he was going to the bank? The more that he thought about it, the more he knew he was correct.

Harry had to think of some way to get into Fudge's office to get it. Having a corrupt politician out of office and broke really appealed to him.

Harry thought about it and decided that he had a vault full of experts that may have an answer that he needed. There was no time like the present, he went into the vault and walked to a noisy gallery that the elves had created. It was a circular display that allowed the portraits to talk to each other. Now that they were fully 'charged' they couldn't stop talking. Walking to the center he was able to address nearly all of the Potters at the same time.

"Hello, can I have your attention please, I have a problem that you might be able to help me with."

"What is it?" said one of the portraits.

"I have a corrupt Minister for Magic that has been accepting bribes for a long time and he has a vault full of ill gotten gains. He has been influenced by whoever has the most money. I need him out of office for a plan of mine to work. I also would like to relieve him of the money he has in his vault. He keeps the key to the vault in his office at the ministry. I need some way to get in the office, it will take less than five minutes to get what I need. Do you have any ideas?

"Do you still have the Potter invisibility cloak?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Then what you need to do is wait outside the office, create a diversion and do your job. It seems simple enough."

"It does when you put it that way. How do I create a diversion? Wait… I know who I can get to help."

"Glad to be of service, next time bring a more difficult problem, it has been too long since we have had a challenge."

Harry had an idea. He hurried back to the mirror room, put on his cloak and called out for 'Ginny Weasley'. He could see through the mirror at the Burrow to find Ginny, Ron and Mrs. Weasley in their parlor. Ginny was reading, Ron was trying to play chess by himself and Mrs. Weasley was knitting. Harry settled in for a long wait, he needed to get Ginny alone. He didn't know if he could trust Ron with the Potter family secret of the mirrors, he is apt to blurt things without thinking. Ginny on the other hand wouldn't say a word, he knew that he could trust her.

After a couple of hours Mrs. Weasley went to the kitchen to start supper and Ron followed along, any time that food was mentioned Ron was there. Now was his chance.

"Pssst… Ginny" Harry whispered

"Who is it?"

"Look in the mirror."

"Harry? You're in the mirror! How are you doing that?"

"It is a Potter family secret, and you can't tell anyone. I don't want anyone but you to know. Meet me back here at midnight."

"Alright," then she grinned and added, "I liked the photos… a lot."

He whispered "Stareé in Speculo" and left the mirror. He should have expected Ginny's comment but it still took him by surprise. He thought that he better get used to it, there was going to be a lot more of it coming. It was a little past the time to talk to Sirius, so he activated the mirror once again.

"Sirius."

"How's it hangin', Pup?"

"Sirius! Are you ever going to let me live it down?"

"Probably not. Have you kept you pants on today?"

"Sirius! I told you that I don't have to do that anymore."

"I thought that it might be a habit by now and it would come naturally."

"Of all the godfathers in the world, how come I'm stuck with you?"

"Just lucky I guess. What's new today?

"Crabbe and Goyle are penniless and have nowhere to stay. I don't know where they are going to end up. I should check on Malfoy to see if they ended up there. All they have are the clothes on their backs."

"It couldn't happen to nicer folks. You did good kid."

"Thanks, I enjoyed what I could see of it. I wish I could have seen their faces when they found the empty vault."

"That would have been good. Did anything else happen?"

"I have some information for Remus. I was able to watch Fudge today and it seems that he has been embezzling from his campaign funds. I don't know if the Daily Prophet can get the facts about it but I think it might be good to try."

"I'll tell Remus when he gets back. He is a little overwhelmed by his new job, he doesn't know if he likes you anymore. Don't worry he'll get over it, it may take a couple of years but he'll get over it."

"That is just what I need, the guy that runs the Daily Prophet not liking me anymore." Harry was grinning but he hoped that Remus could stand up to the pressure.

"You make a good point, I'll put in a good word for you. Anything for my favorite godson."

"I'm your only godson."

"That's why you're my favorite."

"I'm going to go watch Malfoy. It's fun to watch him strut around when I know that he is broke. Good night, Sirius."

"Night, Pup."

Harry had dinner first and they did as he planned and watched Malfoy for awhile. He didn't see any trace of Crabbe and Goyle. They must have found another place to stay, perhaps with relatives. There wasn't much to do before midnight, so he read a little of the journals, he hadn't been doing much of that. Finally it was midnight, and he went back to the mirror, activated it again and watched to see that Ginny was alone.

"Ginny?"

"Harry is that really you? I thought that I imagined you earlier."

"It's me. I learned how to do this from some old family secrets. Ginny, I need your help. I don't want anyone but you to learn about what we are doing. I'm afraid that Ron will let it slip out when he is excited and your mum will tell the Order and they will try to find me. I know that I can trust you to be quiet."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. That's nice to hear. What can I do for you?"

"I need to talk to the twins about making a diversion for something I need to do. But I don't know how to meet them. Can you give them a message for me?"

"I can do that, what's the message?"

"Have them meet me at Gringotts tomorrow at 3 o'clock. Have them ask for Nearfang."

"Alright, can you tell me anything about what you have been doing?"

"Since I trust you to be quiet, I can share some things. It would take far too long to tell you everything. You might like to know that Malfoy and the rest of Voldemort's inner circle are bankrupt, and they don't know it, well two of them do, but the rest are clueless. They pooled all their money on Voldemort's orders and bought a totally worthless piece of property in Africa from the Prince of Lichtenburg. They think that there are billions of galleons of gold on it when there is only a jungle with extremely dangerous animals and creatures. They are looking for the gold that they think I found. Only thing is, I helped to fake it, there isn't an ounce of gold anywhere on the property. They have a hundred thousand acres to search to find nothing. They also have loans coming due that they have no way to repay. Not only are they broke, they are so far in debt that they will never have anything for the rest of their lives."

"Are you kidding me? The Malfoys are broke and in debt? They'll be poorer than we are?"

"Much poorer, they will be millions of galleons in debt with no way to repay."

"Did you do this?"

"I had a lot of help, but it was my plan."

"I don't know what to say. This is incredible."

"Don't say anything to anyone. You'll have to wait until school starts before you can talk to me about it."

"Are there any other secrets that you can reveal?"

"Not tonight, but I'll say this: I have been able to do a lot of things this summer that I couldn't do if I was locked up by the Order."

"I can begin to understand that you've been very busy."

"You better get to bed before someone hears us. Remember, twins, Gringotts at three and Nearfang."

"Got it. I can't wait to hear about the photos, I hope that the story is good."

"It is, only no one will ever believe it. Goodnight, Ginny."

"Goodnight, Harry."

With a new plan for Fudge underway, Harry slept peacefully in the jungle once again.


	12. Chapter 12

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Chapter 12

The day got off to a slow start. He only had to meet the twins at 3 o'clock, and the rest of the day was free. When he woke up next to the pool, he changed the jungle to daytime and stayed there for awhile enjoying the peace that he found in the jungle. He got to thinking about what Sirius said about being nude and taking photos being natural. He would never miss the photos… well maybe the Tarzan ones, but he had to admit he missed the tanning. It was so warm and pleasant to be in the 'sun' that he decided to read journals while tanning some more. He had gotten used to the elves seeing him, they never said anything and didn't make him feel uncomfortable. After everything that he had been through then why not, it was going to be a very long cold winter in Scotland, he might as well enjoy it now.

~~oo000oo~~

Well before 3 o'clock, he had Nearfang bring him to the surface and take him to see Ragnok.

"Good afternoon, Harry."

"Good afternoon, Ragnok. I have a couple of quick questions that you might be able to answer for me."

"I'll do my best."

"When I collect everything from those people that I have bankrupted, what happens to their seats on the Wizengamot and their titles? Are they still called 'lord?'"

"Some of the seats on the Wizengamot are hereditary and can't be sold, although they can be forced into a non active status if they don't meet certain requirements. One of those requirements is financial. A Wizengamot member must have enough financial strength not to be desperate for money. The reasoning is that they would sell their vote if given a chance. I believe that the minimum that a member can have is five hundred thousand galleons. Other seats are not hereditary, and you will gain these seats to add to those that you already have. I believe that the only hereditary seat is the Nott family, the rest of them will become yours."

"What about their titles?"

"Unfortunately, they stay with them, although they become meaningless. There will be no respect to accompany the title."

"Thank you for clearing that up for me. I'm almost late to my next meeting."

~~oo000oo~~

Harry had to hurry back to the conference room that Nearfang had arranged to meet the twins. He was only there for two minutes until Fred and George showed up.

"My word, Gred, is our investor wearing clothes?"

"I do believe he is, Forge, I wasn't expecting this. Are we going to have to change our plans?"

"I don't believe we should, a nude Harry Potter doll should still sell well. Especially if we have the parts moving if you know what I mean."

"Indeed I do, we must have moving parts, think of the demand for such a doll, we won't be able to keep them on the shelves"

"STOP! There will be no moving parts on any doll. I'll never be able to live it down if you do."

"I don't know Harry, think of all the profits we will make."

"We think it is an excellent idea."

"Will you model for us?"

"We must keep everything authentic, don't you know?"

"Please?" both of them said in unison.

"NO! No doll, no moving parts and I'm not modeling for you. I need your help guys. Can you be serious for a few moments?"

"Since you are our largest investor, we can spare a few moments."

"Okay, here it is. I need a diversion. I want to break into Fudge's office to get something. I need to get him out of the way for at least five minutes."

"What do you think, Gred? Do we help little Harrikins break the law?"

"I don't think that we can call him 'little', Forge."

"I do believe you're right, Gred…"

"STOP with the jokes, I'm going to get enough of them when I go back to school." Harry had his palms covering his eyes.

"Okay, big Harrikins, we'll help you."

"What kind of diversion are you thinking about?"

"My plan is to use my invisibility cloak to make it down the hallway from Fudge's office and plant something that will go off in fifteen or twenty minutes while I get into position in his waiting room. I want it to make enough noise and commotion that it will draw Fudge running from his office to see what is happening and keep him there long enough for me to do what I need to do. You guys know what you are doing, but I was thinking of something that keeps changing every minute or so that will keep him standing there wondering what is going to happen next."

"If you ever need a job as a prankster,…"

"Just let us know."

"That is a very good plan,…"

"That has a high rate of success."

"Do you have something that can help me?" Harry asked.

"I believe that we do."

"A simple revolving firework…"

"Should do the trick."

"When do you need it?"

"I have time, sometime in the next week would be good."

"We can have it ready by tomorrow morning."

"If you can have it ready by then, I want to talk to you about increasing the amount of galleons that I gave you. Call it payment for what you are about to do."

"Harry you don't…"

"...have to do that."

"But I want to and won't take no for an answer. The only condition is that I don't see any nude Harry Potter dolls. How does ten thousand galleons sound?"

"We don't want to take your money…"

"...but if you insist."

"We still think that the doll…"

"...is a good idea."

"Remember guys, no dolls or there is no money. Consider that you just sold the idea to me."

"I do believe that that is the best idea that we ever sold, Gred."

"I do believe you are right, Forge."

"Alright, you two, will you deliver it here to Nearfang tomorrow so that I can pick it up before 1 o'clock?"

"No problem, big Harrikins," they both said. Harry just put his hands over his face again and sighed.

~~oo000oo~~

The talk with Sirius was short, Harry didn't have much to talk about, and all Sirius wanted to do was tease him. After the twins, he wasn't in the mood for more teasing, so he cut the time short. He spent the evening watching Malfoy and got a chance to see Draco have one of his tantrums.

"Father, I don't understand, why can't I go to Africa like Potter. I could find the gold in no time. If that half-blood, Potter, can find it, I surely can."

"The answer is no, you are not going to Africa. Potter was almost killed by a panther and he had poisonous snakes crawling all over him. You are not a parselmouth and you could be killed."

"Those snakes aren't dangerous, if Potter can handle them then they're easy. He can't do anything that's hard. It doesn't take much to beat Potter, I can easily do that."

"The answer is still no. You're not going."

"But Father…"

"No."

"But Father…"

"No."

"But Father…"

"Get out of my sight!"

Harry had to laugh. Draco was such a fool. If he only knew that he had never been in Africa and that the whole thing was staged.

Some of the rest of the evening was spent in front of the mirrors trying to find Crabbe and Goyle. There were mirrors everywhere and Harry hoped that he would get lucky and they would show up. Not that he needed to find them, he was done with them. He was just curious as to who would willingly take them in.

Time was also spent reading. He was getting a little bored with the journals but many of them had very clever ideas. Compiling a list of his favorites was on Harry's agenda for sometime in the future, definitely not before school begins but sometime, maybe next summer.

~~oo000oo~~

The night in the jungle was its usual pleasure. Harry had never had a bad dream and always woke up feeling like he had a good night's sleep. He turned the jungle back into daytime and decided once again to spend his time tanning. He was still mentally going over how he was going to break into Fudge's office, but it seemed simple enough.

Finally, it was time to go.

~~oo000oo~~

It was too easy. There wasn't any challenge at all, not that he was complaining. He took a portkey to the phone booth entrance to the ministry and stated he wanted to see the DMLE. As he was going down to the atrium he slipped the cloak on before he reached bottom. It was a simple walk past the wand weighing station, and he continued on with the plan. It took him about an hour to complete his mission and return to the bank.

He asked Nearfang to take him to the vault that the key was for and entered with no problem. It was a good thing that Goblins had the attitude that if a customer loses his key that it was the customer's fault, not the bank's. Harry found huge piles of galleons in the vault, Arthurus Potter would definitely not approve.

"Elves?"

"Yes, Master Harry, how can wees help you?"

"I want you to take all the money and everything else to vault 160 as quickly as you can and if there are any papers I would like you to bring them to my study."

"They were moving in a blur, and with a continous series of pops the piles of gold were getting smaller. It still took the elves three hours to complete the move. There was a lot of money and Fudge was going to be very upset. There weren't many Death Eaters any more that had money to bribe him with. He thought that there may be a few dishonest businessmen that he could take bribes from, but it would take him many years to recover even part of what he just lost. Harry was hoping that he could watch some of Fudge's response to losing it all. Harry did remember to visit vault 160 and close the door. All those galleons were not invested and making money, but Harry thought that he would leave them for awhile to see if there were any uses for them. Maybe when he went back to school he would invest them with Varnok, but anything could happen before then.

~~oo000oo~~

"Sirius"

"Pup, you still have pants on?"

"You know that is getting rather old. Yes I have been keeping my pants on… at least sometimes." Harry said with a big grin.

"What do you mean? You haven't been taking anymore photos have you?"

"No, Sirius, I have just been working on my tan some more. It is going to be a long dark winter in Scotland, so I thought that I would enjoy it while I can."

"You've changed, Pup, you weren't like this before the summer."

"After all that I have been through, and all that I'm expecting to go through, it changes a person."

"I suppose that you're right, just no more photos or flashing yourself for Witch Weekly."

"You have a deal."

"So what else is new?"

"I have found out that Fudge has lost all of his bribe money. His vault was cleaned out earlier today."

"Fudge is broke?"

"I don't know about that, he may have another vault, but the vault with all the bribe money is gone."

"Just what do you know about this?"

"Just what I told you, Fudge's vault was emptied and he doesn't have a clue what happened to it."

"Why do I think that you had a hand in this?"

"Well… I might have known that it was going to happen and didn't stop it." That was mostly true, he didn't stop himself from taking it.

"You are really something, first Malfoy and the other Death Eaters and now Fudge. It seems that the other side has been hit with a lot of bad luck lately."

"Yeah, it couldn't happen to nastier bunch of guys."

"You make a good point there. Any more surprises coming?"

"You never know, but nothing that I'm aware of."

The conversation lasted for a while longer, and then Harry had to decide what he was going to do for the rest of the evening. Watching Fudge came quickly to mind, so he made himself comfortable and got ready to see if he could watch Fudge doing anything. It was probably too early for Fudge to realize that his key was missing and his vault was empty but maybe Harry could get lucky and catch him doing something he shouldn't. Luck wasn't with Harry that evening, he couldn't find anything interesting happening with any of the Death Eaters that he watched.

Harry remembered the request he made to the elves that any papers from Fudge's vault be brought to his study and he decided to check it out. He found a lot of incriminating evidence including a ledger of all the bribes that he had taken, who they were from and what they were for. How stupid could Fudge be? Who in their right mind would keep such a trail of wrongdoing, if it ever slipped into the wrong hands he would spend the rest of his life in Azkaban. Harry knew that he needed to get this information to Remus, but he wanted to go through it first to see what he could find.

With the beginnings of an idea floating through his head he undressed and settled into the pool, ready for another night of sweet dreams.

~~oo000oo~~

Waking up late, Harry lay there soaking up the 'sun' while letting his thoughts drift back to the night before. Dobby served breakfast in the jungle and Harry retrieved Fudge's bribe ledger to read while eating. Before turning it over to Remus, he was going to spend some time with it. In fact, he would like to keep a copy of it for his own needs. Learning the spells needed to copy a book was something that Harry intended to learn, and now was a good time to do so. He got dressed and went into the book section of the vault to see if he could find a book to help him. While he was there he let the portraits know that he relieved Fudge of his ill-gotten gains. He also took time to explain everything else that he had done that summer.

"You are a true Potter."

"I'm proud of you, Grandson."

"A chip off the old block."

"The most daring of the best of us."

"Are you sure that you couldn't have done it with your pants on?"

"You have nerves of steel."

"And to think that that was your first scam. I can hardly wait until you grow up."

Harry's ego took a big boost in hearing the praise lavished on him. He now understood how his ancestors felt when they used their journals to brag of their exploits. That was something that Harry had to do, he needed to start his own journal and enter what he had done while it was fresh in his mind, hopefully one of his descendants would enjoy it. He would send Dobby out for a blank journal when he got back to the tent. After asking the portraits about copying books he was directed to the best spell book for the job.

Returning to the tent he sent Dobby on his task and Harry started tanning while using an old textbook from his trunk to practice the spell on. The spell was very difficult and he had only made a little progress after hours of work. He ultimately destroyed his textbook in the process, followed by the travel books he bought weeks ago and was now using the anthropology book for his practice. He was very glad that he hadn't started with Fudge's ledger.

Harry's call to Sirius was short, there wasn't much to talk about other than Fudge's ledger and he wasn't ready to talk about that yet. He needed time to make a copy before he turned it over to Remus, and there was plenty of time for that. It was still over three weeks before school started, and he was sure that he could learn the spells before that.

~~oo000oo~~

"Master Harry, comes quick, yous has to sees this."

"You're Folly, right?"

"Yes, sir, Master Harry, but yous needses to hurry, Master Harry!"

Throwing his cloak over himself he ran into the mirror room in time to see Fudge tearing his desk apart, he was throwing things all over.

"It has to be here somewhere, it just has to be?" Pushing the button on his desk he called out. "Miss Jeffries, come in here this instant!"

"You called for me, Minister?"

"Who has been in my office? Someone has been in here and stolen from me."

"No one has been in here, you keep the door locked, and you have the only key."

"Well someone has! When has this door been left unlocked?"

"The only time I can think of is the other day when the fireworks went off. You rushed from your office to see what had happened."

Fudge's face went white and he had a very sick look on his face. "That will be all, Miss Jeffries. Cancel my appointments, I'll be out for the rest of the day." He grabbed his bowler and headed for the door when he turned around suddenly. "Wait… you there in the mirror!"

Harry's heart nearly fell from his chest before the spirit answered.

"Your lordship, how may I be of service to you?

"Have you seen anyone enter my office when I haven't been here?"

"No, your lordship, I saw no one at all."

"Hmmph…"

"Nice bowler, your lordship, it does wonders for your eyes."

With that the door slammed, and Harry burst out laughing, he didn't care if he could be heard in the empty office, he just couldn't hold it in.

Harry thought about what he had done. He had the means to combat crooks and others with his mirrors and sheer economic power. He thought about it for a while and concluded that this was definitely power that no one else had, and he proved that it was effective to stop much of the war."

~~oo000oo~~

Between practicing on his spells and writing in his journal, he made some notes about what he found in Fudge's ledger. There were multiple entries about bribes from individuals wanting to introduce and pass laws to stymie competition from new entrepreneurs. It was lucky that joke shops were not covered under those laws, or Harry would have to give a lot more money to the twins.

The more that Harry read, the angrier he became. It was nearly criminal what Fudge was bribed by these people to do. It was definitely morally and ethically wrong. Maybe it was the Potter genes in him, but he was going to do something about it. Staying cooped up in the vault by himself was getting boring, and he wanted to do something more. He studied those that had made the most bribes and decided they would be his next targets. He watched them in the mirrors and came up with plans to scam them. There were so many ways that he had read about and learned from the portraits. It was fun to take a problem, come up with a plan and then take it to the portraits for scrutiny.

The first scam after Fudge was similar to what he had done to Crabbe and Goyle only he used Fudge's gold in vault 160 as bait. The next scams were more like the ones that he read about, each one provided a challenge, and he enjoyed doing them. Before the summer vacation was over he had taken care of seven more crooks, and his journal was getting a lot of entries.

He had learned the copy spell after two days along with a few more charms he wanted to know. He had given the paperwork from Fudge's vault to Remus and was told it would take a lot of time for all of the bribes to be verified, Fudge would have to stay in office a bit longer.

~~oo000oo~~

His trunk was packed, and he had sent the elves off to work on various homes that were listed in his master ledger as needing repair. With all of his ancestors, there were a lot of family homes to work on. Harry also bonded with the Crabbe and Goyle elves and would do so with any others that he would obtain through the repossession process that was coming up for the inner circle Death Eaters. There was no reason to make the elves suffer from rejection if he could help it. He just hoped that Hermione wouldn't kill him. He didn't know if he was ready to go back to school, but it was that time.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry used the floo from Gringotts to go to Platform 9 ¾ with fifteen minutes to spare before the train left. He thought that he could handle Mrs. Weasley for that long. He hadn't seen her all summer and he owed her that much. He was barely out of the floo before he heard squeals and a thunder of feet heading his way. He saw Hermione and the Weasleys in the distance, but he couldn't reach them before he was engulfed in a mass of screaming witches.

"Harry!"

"I love you, Harry!"

"Please, marry me!"

"Harry we can have beautiful babies together!"

"WHAT?!" Harry managed to get out.

"Are you tanned all over?"

"Will you show me your tan?"

"Take your shirt off, and show us your tan."

Harry felt hands all over his body. His clothes were coming loose as the comments kept coming and becoming more explicit by the minute. He managed to grab his shrunken trunk from his pocket as his jacket was torn away.

"HEY, don't touch me there! STOP, don't do that! Let go of me!" Ron had managed to push his way through the crowd and Harry tossed him his trunk, just as his belt buckle was released.

"Don't do that! Give me my shirt back! Whoa!" Harry felt himself lifted from the ground as his trousers were pulled off him. "Give me back my trousers! Doooon't…!" More than one person was tugging very hard on very sensitive parts of his body and his voice went three octaves higher. Ron and the twins had just made it through the crowd and tried to pull him to safety.

Mrs. Weasley was screeching at the same time that her eyes bulged out. Harry didn't know how they made it onto the train but they managed to get into a compartment and the twins spelled the doors shut. Harry was trying to catch his breath as he noticed that Hermione and Ginny were with them. He turned away quickly.

"Would you two please turn around?"

"It's a little late for that isn't it," Hermione said, "everyone has seen it before."

"How do we know that it is really you Harry, maybe we should compare you to your photos in thorough detail." Ginny smirked.

"Just turn around. Okay?" Hermione did but Ginny just continued to smirk.

"I guess that if you can't keep your pants on for ten minutes then there will be plenty of opportunities during the school year." Ginny finally turned around as she was asked.

"Ron, give me my trunk back, I need to get some clothes."

"Do you think that it will do you any good? They will just tear them off again when we get there." Ron said grinning as he kept the trunk.

"Just give me the damned trunk Ron, this isn't funny. Look, it hurts and I have scratches on my…"

Ron gave him the trunk as Harry opened it and took out some clothes. "They even took my shoes, I liked those shoes."

"Such is the price of fame, big Harrikins."

"Stop that, you guys, there are girls present."

"Don't you think that they know about that?"

By this time, Harry had gotten his trousers on and let the girls turn back around. He dressed in his school uniform, there was no need of changing again before they got there. Suddenly they heard a loud squeal from outside and the doors bulged inward. The twins cast strengthening charms at the door and Harry carefully sat down in some pain."

"So are you going to tell us what you have been up to and where you have been?" Hermione asked

"It's a long story, and I can't tell all of it. But you have to give me an oath that you will never repeat what I'm about to tell you."

"Is an oath really necessary, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I believe that you would all keep your word, but an oath will warn you before you slip up and accidentally start to say something. You don't have to make it on your magic or your life, anything else will do. For Ron it could me something like he will never play quidditch again. That's serious, but not life threatening. All I want is for the oath to warn you before you slip up."

"That sounds reasonable, I suppose you have your reasons." Ginny said and was the first to take the oath. She vowed to give up on boys for ten years. Hermione vowed to give up the library, she couldn't stand to think about giving up books. The twins oath regarded being serious and Ron's was about quidditch.

"What about them?" Hermione asked, pointing to the crazed fangirls fogging up the glass.

"They're making enough noise, they won't hear a thing," Fred said.

"Okay, I'll try to explain a lot of what I have been up to this summer. I might as well start by telling you that I was never in Africa, and I didn't find gold. It was all faked."

Harry went on to explain, during the trip, part of what he told Sirius. They all looked dumbfounded and shocked when he told them that he lived in his vault all summer in a tent that looked like a jungle. He laid out his plan that he used to set up Malfoy and how he caught more than he planned instead. He had to say that he forged alliances with a lot of Gringotts account managers in order to make his plan work.

"You mean that you posed for all those photos?"

"Yeah, I needed to increase the circulation of Witch Weekly so that everyone believed that I had found gold. I knew that the Daily Prophet wasn't going to help, but Witch Weekly needed to have more readers. The only way to do that was to show a lot of skin. But that one photo of me showing everything was not part of the plan, it was a mix-up I did with the negatives. It almost backfired on me, everyone was looking at me instead of the gold."

"So in order for you to bankrupt Malfoy, you had to appear nude?" Ron said with a shocked look on his face.

"To take away nearly all the gold that Voldemort has access to, it was worth it. Now I only have to survive my time at Hogwarts, I hope that it will not be like it was back at the train station."

"Just listen outside the door; does it seem any quieter?"

"Anyone have any ideas how I can make it into the castle?"

The rest of the trip was spent discussing what Harry had done during the summer and what they were going to do to get him into the castle and the Great Hall. Since Ron and Hermione were new prefects they were the first out of the compartment threatening house points. Finally they had to stun two Hufflepuffs before they could clear a path to the exit. They pushed their way to the carriages and managed to get inside with a great deal of difficulty. Harry was painfully groped twice along the way.

"I keep telling myself that it was worth it because of what I did to Voldemort, Malfoy and the rest, but I'm not so sure anymore. It is going to be hell this year."

"We hear you, mate. Before you explained it, we had no idea of why you did what you did, but it was either the most brilliant thing or the stupidest thing ever." Ron said.

Fred spoke up. "This is our plan for getting you to the Great Hall…"

How they made it, Harry would never know, but he was in the Great Hall. Before the first years were sorted, Dumbledore stood up and set off a cannon blast to get everyone's attention.

"I'm aware of the circumstances around Mr. Potter, but I will not tolerate such disrespectful behavior from our students. There is no excuse for what I have witnessed this evening. If it continues, there will be detentions and letters sent home to your parents." Dumbledore scolded in his sternest voice. "Now let us continue to enjoy our opening feast. And Mr. Potter… I want to see you immediately after the feast."

Neville came and innocently sat across from Harry.

"Did you have a good summer, Harry?" Neville managed to keep a straight face as long as he could. Finally he and Harry started laughing, and the mood lightened considerably.

The sorting went peacefully and Dumbledore stood to welcome everyone to Hogwarts. He had just introduced a toad-like woman as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. When he started to talk about Mr. Filch's list of banned items, he was interrupted with something everyone was going to learn to dread.

"Hem-Hem."


	13. Chapter 13

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Author's note: There are many quotes from The Order of the Phoenix book in this chapter. They may not be a true representation of JK Rowling's work. They are marked with an asterisk.

For those of you that are waiting for the Harry/Umbridge showdown you will have to wait for the next chapter. I think that you will like it. I have never seen it done before.

* * *

Chapter 13

"Hem-Hem."

Dumbledore sat down and smiled politely.

"Hem-Hem... Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome. […] The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of a vital importance…"*

The speech was long and boring, only Hermione seemed to be paying attention. Harry was trying to keep his head down. Every time that he looked up he saw witches wink, toss their hair back, rearrange their clothes and make suggestive gestures. Dumbledore's warning seemed to have little effect on their behavior. The boys were staring at him either in loathing or curiosity while the witches were obvious in their intentions.

"Hem-Hem." Umbridge tried to get the attention of the students as only Hermione was looking toward her. A few heads turned her way, mostly boys bored of glaring at the back of Harry's head.

"As I was saying, let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited…"*

Harry found little relief from either the drivel the toad woman was speaking or from the unwanted attention of his new fans. Finally Harry was through with his supper and walked towards the head table. Dumbledore greeted him by asking him to follow him to his office. Not a word was spoken along the way. Once they were both were seated, Dumbledore began.

"Where were you this summer, besides in Africa?"

"Where I spend my summer months is not related to my Hogwarts studies."

"You know that I cannot accept that. We have been looking all summer for you, many people have spent countless hours trying to find you."

"That is not my problem. I let it be known that I was perfectly safe and didn't want to be found. What others do with their time is not my business."

"You know that you were in great danger without our protection. Your journey to Africa is just one example."

"I was perfectly safe and didn't need your protection. No one was able to find me even though I had you looking everywhere. If you couldn't find me why do you think that anyone else could?"

"It would only take one mistake for you to be found. Don't you care about your safety?"

"As I said, I was perfectly safe where I was. The fewer people who knew where I was staying, the safer I was."

"You seem very cavalier about your safety. You are being irresponsible and need to be protected."

"The only protection that I need is from your students molesting me. Being in Hogwarts is far more dangerous that anything that I have done over the summer."

"After your behavior in Africa and the photos that were published, you have to expect that you will be the subject of attention. Why did you take those photos?"

"They were for my private viewing only to commemorate my trip and were published without my knowledge or consent. You know that already by the apology that was printed by Witch Weekly."

"Where were you staying when you weren't in Africa?"

"I'm not telling."

"Harry, don't make this any more difficult than it is."

"I'm not making it difficult, you are. You're not taking 'no' as an answer. If you let it go, it becomes much simpler."

"You know that I cannot do that. Your safety is too important."

"And I have told you many times that I was perfectly safe. We have been over this before. I'm not telling you where I was, I'm not telling you what I was doing, and I'm not telling you anything that you do not already know."

"You are being most difficult."

"No, you are being most difficult by sticking your nose into business that doesn't concern you."

"I can see that you aren't going to be persuaded in these matters. Perhaps later we may have a more productive talk."

"May I leave now? I need to see Madam Pomfrey before I go to bed. It has been a long day and I would like to get some sleep."

"You may go."

~~oo000oo~~

"Visiting me so early, Mr. Potter? The school year hasn't even started yet."

"Yeah well, I have a little problem and it hurts."

"What happened and where is your problem."

"Well, the thing is… um, I was trying to get on the train when… they attacked me and…"

"Who attacked you?"

"A crowd of girls at Kings Cross."

"Let me see the problem, Mr. Potter."

Harry undressed and had his back turned, he thought that he was passed embarrassment but this was very uncomfortable for him.

"Don't worry, Mr. Potter, I'm a professional and nothing seen here will ever leave this room."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey, I appreciate what you are doing."

He turned around to a small gasp.

"What happened to you to get these scratches and bruises?"

"There was a crowd of girls waiting for me to get on the train and they ended up ripping my clothes off and…"

"Because of the sensitivity of the area, we don't want to do anything that will damage the nerve endings, the only thing to do is to keep any swelling down and let nature take its course." She walked to her medicine cabinet and returned moments later. "Spread this cream on the scratches and bruises to keep the swelling down, and continue to use it as long as necessary."

Harry felt very embarrassed touching himself with her looking. Harry got dressed and left the hospital wing and headed back to Gryffindor tower. He watched the shadows carefully, he thought that he heard giggling once and he kept his wand drawn during the entire trip. When he got to the portrait of the Fat Lady he found Ginny waiting for him to let him in.

"Interesting visit?"

"You could say that."

"You know they're waiting for you inside."

"No, I didn't think about it, but I should have expected it. Thanks for warning me."

"Anytime... _Harry's Golden Nuggets,_" Harry looked at Ginny funny when the portrait opened up.

"Who set the password?"

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not." Harry said with a sigh.

He was going to have to do something about the situation, and it had better be from the start. He walked up to one of the study tables and carefully climbed on top.

"Take it off, take it off, take it off…" The girls started to chant.

He raised his hands and tried to get them to quiet down, but nothing he did helped. One of the spells that he learned in the last few weeks was the sonorous charm, he cast it on himself as he started.

"QUIET! All of you, just quiet down. I'm only going to tell you this once, those photos were for my own pleasure. They were to be kept to myself as keepsakes from my trip. They were stolen from me and published without my knowledge or consent. There is nothing I can do about it now. Since I arrived at Platfor have been stripped, groped, and assaulted in every way, I'm so sore that it is uncomfortable for me to walk or sit. If any of you were to receive this treatment there is no doubt that it would be sexual harassment. If this behavior doesn't stop, I will have to leave Hogwarts. I think of this place as my home, and you are making it unlivable. I don't want to leave, I love Hogwarts, but I can't take anymore of this treatment. You have to decide if you want me here or not. If not, just keep doing what you're doing and I'll leave first thing in the morning. 'Quietus'"

Harry stepped down from the table and walked toward the dorms. The room was silent, maybe he had done some good. He had nearly made it up the stairs when he heard – "Does this mean that I can't have your baby?" and then laughter. Maybe it really wasn't worth it to bankrupt the Death Eaters after all. He turned around, went back downstairs and left through the portrait. He went to McGonagall's office and knocked on the door.

"Mr. Potter, whatever are you doing at my door?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, but there is a situation in the tower that needs your attention."

Harry went on to explain what happened at the train station and just then in the common room.

"I understand. Such behavior is not to be tolerated. Follow me."

"Thank you, Professor."

The trip back to the common room was quick. When McGonagall heard the password, she was livid.

"I want everyone here in the common room, now. I don't care if you have to wake them up. Everyone. Here. NOW!"

Her lips were thinner than Harry could ever remember, and he thought that he could see her shaking. When everyone was there in the room, they all were silently waiting for the inevitable eruption that was going to take place. In a quieter voice than was expected, she asked.

"Who set the password for the portrait?"

Several eyes looked to one of the seventh year prefects.

"That will be two weeks detention with me Miss Adamson and you will change the password immediately. As for the rest of you, I'm ashamed of all of you. Mr. Potter has explained his circumstances, and he has every right to expect humane treatment from all of you. He could file charges against many of you for the treatment that he has received and I wouldn't blame him if he did. This behavior stops now. Do you all understand?"

There were a lot of nods around the room and no one spoke. She didn't say another word and left through the portrait. Harry looked around then slowly went to the stairs and to his dorm. He enlarged his trunk and started to get ready for bed.

"I'm glad that it's you, mate, I couldn't take it." Ron said.

"Yeah, you shouldn't have to put up with actions like that, they are worse than any guys that I have ever met." Dean Thomas said while shaking his head.

Neville added, "I didn't know girls could be so vicious."

Seamus also commented, "I could stand for a little more attention, but nothing like what you are going through."

Harry was undressing to get ready to change into his pajamas. When he lowered his pants he heard giggling from the doorway. The doorway was opened slightly allowing several eyeballs to be seen through the gap.

"Get out of here!" Ron was running towards the door to close it. "Don't they ever give up?"

"I don't know Ron, it doesn't seem like it right now. I wish they would just leave me alone."

Harry finished undressing and checked himself to see if the bruises were any better. He would have to wait until morning to be sure. He was still sore and the pajamas were rubbing him the wrong way. There was nothing that he could do about that. It was not like it was in the jungle where he could sleep without them.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry woke to the feel of a hand where it shouldn't be.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED!"

His other dorm mates jumped out of bed to find a third year in bed with Harry.

"I was only trying to make you feel better." She said with what she thought was a seductive smile.

"Get out of here! No wait. Someone go get McGonagall." Dean took off at a run, while Ron and Neville barred the door.

"Harry, I only want to make you feel better. I can make you feel really good, you don't have to be shy. But then again you aren't shy are you?"

"I don't know who you are, but just stay away from me."

The door opened to let McGonagall and Dean into the room.

"Miss Vane, what is the meaning of this?"

"I was just trying to make Harry feel better."

"You will follow me to my office. You have detention for a month and I'm contacting your parents tonight."

McGonagall led the girl away, and the boys went back to bed. Two hours later Harry felt a painful tugging this time.

"STOP THAT, IT HURTS!"

Harry's dorm mates jumped again and the same thing happened. McGonagall also led the new girl away to her office. Two hours later, and for the third time that night, the same thing happened. This time Dumbledore was called and it was decided that Harry couldn't stay in the dorms any longer.

McGonagall had had enough. It was time for a more permanent solution. "Mr. Potter we are going to move you to the head boy's suite of rooms. The head boy is not from Gryffindor this year so the rooms are available."

Harry put a bathrobe over his pajamas, packed his trunk and shrunk it. McGonagall took him to an alcove in the common room near the portrait hole. She stated 'Gryffindors forever' at another portrait.

The portrait responded "What may I do for you this evening? I understood that Gryffindor didn't have a head boy this year."

"I'm afraid that we have a situation where we are going to need you this year Alexander. It seems that Mr. Potter is going to be using the head boy's suite."

McGonagall turned to Harry and told him. "Alexander here is the guardian for your rooms. He will respond to two passwords, one that only the headmaster and I know, and another that you will set. Do you have something in mind? You can always change it by telling him."

"After all that has happened tonight, all I want are 'sweet dreams'. Can we use that until I think of a better one?"

"That will work. I'll leave you to get settled in."

Harry stepped through the portrait hole and entered a very nice set of rooms. There was a huge canopy bed with a very soft looking mattress. To the side of the bed were armoires, three soft chairs and a couch surrounding a low table near a fireplace. He looked into the other rooms and found a small kitchenette and a study. The study was equipped with bookshelves and a nice desk and chair. The bathroom was huge and very luxurious, the tub was like the one in the prefect's bath. He hoped that the tub would work like the pool in the tent although he thought that might be expecting too much. There was one last room that he didn't understand, it was square, empty and without windows. He thought that maybe it was a storeroom of some kind.

After all the interruptions to his sleep he was still tired but he didn't know if he could go back to sleep again. As much as he enjoyed the pool in the tent, and even the whirlpool at the hotel, he thought that he would try out the bath. He started the water to fill and tested the different bath salt smells that he could add. Selecting one that smelled like pine forest he slipped out of his clothes and into the water. It wasn't nearly as good as the jungle pool but it was a huge improvement over anything in the fifth year boy's dorm.

After a long soak he checked his watch and found that there was only an hour before breakfast. He applied the cream again and got dressed. It was a Sunday and he thought that he could come back later for a nap if he got too tired. Unpacking some of the things in his trunk kept him busy until he went to breakfast.

~~oo000oo~~

"Good morning, Harry."

"Good morning, Harry."

"How are you this morning, Harry?"

"Did you sleep well, Harry?"

"If you have a minute, sometime, I would like to talk to you, Harry," said some Hufflepuff that he had never seen before.

"Are you feeling well this morning, Harry?"

There were just too many of them. Most of the girls had never talked to him before, and now they were acting like his best friends only much worse. He made his way to his usual spot at the Gryffindor table and waited for his friends to show up. The girls were still there and started rubbing his back. Two girls sat to each side of him and started pressing themselves into his side.

"What would you like to eat Harry?"

"Would you like me to feed you some bacon?"

"I can spoon some eggs for you Harry."

Harry just put his head down with his arms over the top just wanting them to just go away.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" McGonagall's voice rang out. "Leave Mr. Potter alone, and get back to your tables. Have you no shame?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, that you are witnessing such shameful behavior. You have my apologies."

"Thank you, Professor, but you have no reason to apologize. It is these girls that are being unreasonable. I'm only half joking here, but would you let me stun anyone that gets too close?"

"I'm afraid that it wouldn't be appropriate for you to do so, but I'm thinking of doing it myself."

It wasn't long before Ron, Hermione and Ginny joined him for breakfast, with them there and with McGonagall's voice still ringing in their ears Harry had a decent breakfast, it wasn't peaceful but it was okay.

"So what is your room like Harry? Is it nice?" Hermione was full of her usual questions.

"When Ron is finished with his breakfast, I can show you. I think that I'm going to be very comfortable."

There was some unintelligible sounds coming from Ron's mouth, but none of them could understand him nor cared to try.

"With all that has been going on, I haven't asked you if you were able to buy my books and supplies." He asked Hermione

"Oh… I'll bring them as soon as we get back to the tower. But you have to tell me what did McGonagall say when she gave you the head boy's rooms? Where are they? Why didn't we know about them before?"

"Calm down, Hermione. Harry can answer your questions later. We have all day." Ginny added

"But it is exciting, you getting new rooms. It is against the rules for anyone but the head boy to get them, it says so in…"

"Hogwarts: a History. Yeah, I know Hermione, but things happen that don't fit the rules. Being attacked by all the girls in the school is one of those things." Harry said with a bit of exasperation.

"You haven't been attacked by ALL the girls."

"Present company excluded. Thank you for that by the way."

"You're welcome, Harry. I wish that you didn't have to go through all of that." Ginny responded.

"Well, you are like the brother I never had, and looking at all of you is just too weird." Hermione added.

"Thanks, that is nice to hear… I think. I love you, too."

"If you three are done talking, I'm done with breakfast, let's go see your rooms."

The walk back to the tower wasn't too bad. With his three friends along, the girls kept their distance, even though there were winks and suggestive looks. Hermione ran up to the girls' dorms and came back with a stack of books and some packages. Once Harry let them into the suite, he let them look around while he opened his trunk and took out a set of his sweat clothes. He excused himself to use the bathroom to change into something more comfortable. He came back out and carefully sat down in one of the chairs and put his feet up on the table.

"Harry! You shouldn't put your feet up on the furniture."

"It's okay, if I ruin it either one of the Hogwarts' elves will fix it or I'll buy them a new one."

"You can't take advantage of the elves. That is slave labor."

"Hermione, don't you understand that house elves are not human. They are their own species, they are different than we are and they look at things differently. They are doing a job that they love and are having all their needs met, they need nothing more. They don't want wages, they don't want clothes, and they don't want to be told that what they feel in their bones is wrong. Being free means shame and exile from their family. They feel rejected for not being good enough. They need to be needed, that is the only thing that means anything to them. Being needed is their happiness. If they are free, then they are not needed. Being exiled from their family makes them more than unhappy, they are devastated and they have no reason to live. They try to find a new family, but because of the shame they brought upon themselves, no one will take them in. Being free is the cruelest thing that you can do to a house elf."

"Slavery is still wrong, but I think that I understand what you're saying."

"Why don't you try talking with an elf instead of talking at one? You might learn something you didn't know."

"You don't own an elf, do you, Harry?"

"You are not going to like this answer. I own a lot of elves. They came to me begging for me to accept them. They couldn't find families and were very unhappy. Accepting their bond made them happier than you can possible imagine."

"But Harry, that's slavery."

"Haven't you been listening? It is giving them a reason to belong and be happy. I gave them a reason to live. How can that be wrong?"

"I don't know. When you put it that way…"

"I made each one promise me that if they were ever unhappy with their bond that they were to come to me and I would set them free. They cried and wailed that they never wanted to be freed again, but I still made them make that promise to me. House elves shouldn't be mistreated, I agree with you, they deserve our respect and kindness. But to respect someone you must first understand them and accept any differences. I respect my elves, Hermione, I do not mistreat them, and they are free to go as soon as they ask me."

"It makes sense what you are telling me. It still seems wrong somehow. I'm going to give what you are telling me a lot of thought."

"That is all I ask."

"As interesting as all this is, do either of you want to play a game of chess?" Ron asked.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry spent the rest of the day in his suite and only went to meals when Ron and Hermione were with him. He felt that he was locked up and not free to leave his suite. He wanted to be able to walk the halls and go down by the lake to visit Hagrid, but instead he couldn't leave without escorts. He told Ron and Hermione how he felt, and Ron suggested that he go flying. Harry simply pointed below his belt and gave him an exasperated look. After Ron and Hermione left, he relaxed in the tub for a long time, applied a bit of cream and went to bed. He was tired from the last two days and the bad time trying to sleep the night before. He was able to fall asleep quickly and slept for a few hours before he woke up from another nightmare. It had been so long since he had had a nightmare. The jungle night had kept them away and he was worried that he was going to have them regularly again. He did what he had done so often in the past and tried to soothe his nerves with a nice warm soak. He did manage to get two more hours afterward.

~~oo000oo~~

Monday morning came and he went with Ron and Hermione to breakfast. The girls mostly left him alone, although one Slytherin threw her arms around him and sobbed that he was the man of her dreams. Ron and Hermione helped him pry her off, and they continued toward the Great Hall. During breakfast, McGonagall gave him his schedule. He had double History followed by double Potions before lunch; afterward he had Divination followed by DADA.

"Looks like a full schedule today." Harry said

"I wonder what DADA is going to be like?" Ron replied.

"I'm expecting it to be a problem, I didn't like what I heard at the opening feast. I hope I'm wrong."

"You think you're not going to enjoy a class, Hermione? What is wrong with you? What have you done with our Hermione?" Harry was trying to fire questions at her like she could do but was failing.

"Just wait, and you'll see for yourself."

Professor Binns was droning on like normal, no one besides Hermione paid any attention to him. The rest of the class were either sleeping or making eyes at Harry. They were blowing kisses at him and making discrete obscene gestures with their hands. Harry put his head down on his desk and took a nap. With Hermione there, the girls would leave him alone.

~~oo000oo~~

"Stop dawdling and take your seats, we don't have time for you to lollygag around." Snape seemed to be in his usual foul mood.

"How many of you managed to complete your homework over the summer?" All the hands went into the air, even if it was tentatively.

"Who can tell me the three uses for a Mongolian dung beetle?" Snape ignored Hermione's hand like usual.

"Potter, if I can trust you to keep your pants up, give me your answer." Those Slytherins that weren't ogling Harry were laughing.

"Mongolian Dung beetles moderate the effects of temperature variations when used with potions that are acidic. They are also used with firecrab venom to create a potion to treat severe burns. I don't remember the last use."

"Running around naked in Africa didn't make you any smarter. You are still an imbecile and hopeless. You have proven that you are an embarrassment to all of us, and now you have been proven to embarrass yourself. You're pitiful, Potter, get out of my classroom, I can't stand the sight of you. You will get a zero for the day."

Harry stuffed his book back into his bag and stood up to leave.

"And take your arrogant bare arse with you."

Walking from the classroom Harry was livid. He hadn't done anything other than forget one of the uses for a potion ingredient that he read months ago. He decided to see if McGonagall would do anything. He knew that it was useless to talk to Dumbledore about Snape. He found her at her desk in her empty classroom.

"Professor McGonagall?"

"Mr. Potter? Shouldn't you be in class?"

"It seems that I was thrown out and that is what I want to talk to you about."

"What have you done now?"

"Why do you think that I have done something? I was thrown out for no good reason."

"That hardly seems likely. What happened?"

Harry told her what was said and what he had done.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, there is little that I can do. Professor Snape has full authority in his classroom. I cannot interfere."

"But Professor, this is unfair. How am I supposed to learn Potions, if Snape throws a tantrum?"

"Mr. Potter! That will be five points for disrespecting a professor. He is to be called 'Professor Snape,' and professors don't throw tantrums. If that is all, then you may leave."

"Thank you, Professor."

Harry was fuming. There was no winning with Snape, he could do no wrong as far as Dumbledore is concerned, and now McGonagall defended him the same way. He headed back to the common room and wasn't watching where he was going.

"Oh, Harry, is that a mole that I see, can I take a closer look?"

"Are your feet that big too? Look! They are that big!"

Two Ravenclaw girls sidled up beside him on each side and put an arm around his waist as he was walking.

"Just leave me alone. I don't want you here, I thought that I had made that clear."

Their hands dropped lower and they squeezed his butt.

"STOP THAT! Leave me alone and go away."

"But Harry, we could have such a great time. Just us, and nobody will ever know."

"No! We are not going to have a good time, I don't want you around. Now leave me alone."

"Harrikins! Is ickle Harrikins having a problem?"

"Fred… George… will you help me get rid of these… these… whatever they are, and help me back to the tower?"

"Sorry, girls…

"…Harry doesn't swing that way."

"WHAT? I do too!"

"Harry, Harry, Harry…"

"…you don't have to pretend…"

"…it's okay…"

"…they'll understand how it is."

"Sorry, girls…"

"…Harry is spoken for."

"Come on, Sugarlips, let's go back to the tower where Gred and I can show you a really good time."

"But… but… but…"

"Don't get too excited there, Harry…"

"…you can barely speak."

The girls left with puzzled looks and Harry walked with Fred and George back to the tower.

"What did you two just do to me? That rumor will be all over the school before supper."

"No need to thank us."

"We are just happy to help out."

"But everyone is going to think that I don't like girls! I like girls!"

"And if all the girls…"

"…think that you don't?"

"Then they will leave me alone... okay… I get it."

"If you want to get rid of the girls…"

"…it's the only way."

When they reached the tower, Harry went into his suite and got his books for the afternoon. He waited in the common room until Ron and Hermione returned from class.

"I can't believe that Professor Snape could be so unfair." Hermione opined.

"That greasy old bat can take his potions and shove them…"

"RON! You can't talk that way about a professor!"

"I just did. Did you see what he did to Harry? Someone should report him to Dumbledore or McGonagall."

"I tried telling McGonagall but she took five points, and told me that she couldn't do anything. Dumbledore is a complete waste of time. He thinks the sun rises and sets out of Snape's…"

"Harry! That is no way to talk about the headmaster."

"Hermione, you are really going to have to work on your authority complex. Not all authority figures are worth respecting." Harry countered back.

"How can you say that? They are adults, and we shouldn't forget that they know best."

"Like I said, you need to work on your authority complex. Let's go to lunch."

Even with Ron and Hermione along, another Ravenclaw threw herself at his feet and begged him to be her boyfriend. She also had her arms around his waist. Ron and Hermione helped him again pull the girl off of him and they continued to the Great Hall. Thankfully he wasn't assaulted during lunch. After eating; Ron, Harry and Neville went to Trelawney's class and listened to her predict Harry's death for the thousandth time, only this time it was by a star crossed lover. Harry thought that she was such a fraud that he didn't know why he wasted his time.

~~oo000oo~~

Hermione joined them as they trudged into the DADA classroom and found a sea of pink and kittens. There was a toad sitting behind a desk wearing a fuzzy pink cardigan. They looked at the each other and took a seat near the back of the room.

"Well, good afternoon!" she said when finally the whole class had sat down.*

A few people mumbled "Good afternoon," in reply.*

"Tut, tut," said Professor Umbridge. "That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!"*

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge," they chanted back at her.*

"There, now," said Professor Umbridge sweetly. "That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please."*

The class proceeded along the same lines, Professor Umbridge had no intentions of showing them any practical applications of defense. Hermione and others complained loudly, and when she asked Umbridge about the lack of using their wands, the professor replied sweetly, "Using defensive spells? Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class? I do not wish to criticize the way things have been run in this school, but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed - not to mention, extremely dangerous half-breeds."*

She obviously was referring to Remus Lupin and many in the class came to his defense. There were heated exchanges between the students and the professor.

"So I repeat, as long as you have studied the theory hard enough…"*

"And what good's theory going to be in the real world," said Harry loudly, his fist in the air.*

"This is a school, Mr. Potter, not the real world," she said softly.*

"So we are not supposed to be prepared for what's waiting out there?"*

"There is nothing waiting out there, Mr. Potter."*

"Oh, yeah?" said Harry. His temper, which seemed to have been bubbling just beneath the surface all day, was reaching the boiling point.*

"Who do you imagine is to attack children like yourselves?" inquired Professor Umbridge in a horribly honeyed voice.*

"Hmm, let's think…" said Harry in a mock thoughtful voice, "maybe Lord Voldemort?"*

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter."*

The classroom was silent and still. Everyone was staring at either Umbridge or Harry.*

"Now, let me make a few things quite plain. You have been told that a certain dark lord has returned from the dead…"*

"He wasn't dead," said Harry angrily, "but yeah, he's returned."*

The arguments continued until Harry had lost points and had a detention with Umbridge. He was given a note to take to McGonagall and sent from the classroom.

~~oo000oo~~

Peeves had upset Harry even more on his trip to McGonagall's office and he wasn't in a very good mood.

"What on earth are you shouting about, Potter? Why aren't you in class?"*

"I've been sent to see you,' said Harry stiffly.*

Harry handed over the note. As McGonagall read it he confirmed what he had said in class and that he had called Umbridge a liar.

"You told her He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back?"*

"Yes."*

Professor McGonagall sat down behind her desk, watching Harry closely. Then she said, "Have a biscuit, Potter."*

"Have… what?"*

"Potter, you need to be more careful." "Misbehavior in Delores Umbridge's class could cost you much more than House points and a detention."*

"What do you…?"*

"Potter, use your common sense," snapped Professor McGonagall, with an abrupt return to her usual manner. "You know where she comes from, you must know to whom she is reporting."*

The bell rang for the end of the lesson. Overhead and all around came the elephantine sounds of hundreds of students on the move.*

"It says that she's given you detention every evening this week, starting tomorrow," Professor McGonagall said, looking down at Umbridge's note again.*

"Every evening this week!" Harry repeated, horrified. "But, Professor, couldn't you…?"*

"No, I couldn't," said Professor McGonagall flatly.*

"But…"*

"She is your teacher and has every right to give you detention. You will go to her room at five o'clock tomorrow for the first one. Just remember, carefully around Dolores Umbridge."*

Harry and McGonagall spoke for a while longer. The message was clear, Umbridge could do whatever she wanted, and McGonagall couldn't or wouldn't do anything about it.

** Quotes from the Order of the Phoenix, not necessarily in whole


	14. Chapter 14

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Chapter 14

Ron and Hermione were waiting outside of McGonagall's door when he was through.

"What did Professor McGonagall say Harry? She is going to stop the detention isn't she? You were only telling the truth."

"McGonagall isn't going to do anything, Hermione. The note said that I have detentions all week, and I have to serve them."

"Bloody Hell, Harry…"

"Ron, language."

"Stuff it, Hermione. Umbridge is a nightmare and someone needs to do something about it."

"Maybe we should go to Dumbledore? Surely, he can fix this."

Harry replied "Hermione, when has Dumbledore ever interfered with a professor? If he won't do it with Snape, then what makes you think that he will do anything about the pink toad?"

"Harry don't call her a 'pink toad.' She is still a professor."

"There's that authority complex. That toad is no more a professor than Filch."

"You should still show more respect."

"No, Hermione, respect is earned, and she has lost any respect that I could ever have for her."

~~oo000oo~~

On the way to the Great Hall for supper Cho Chang ran up to Harry, put one hand behind his neck, the other firmly on his crotch and kissed him long and deeply.

Ron and Hermione tried to pull her off when she said, "Don't worry Harry, I can have your kinks straightened out in no time. You don't have to swing that way, I can fix you right up."

"Cho! Get your hands off me. I don't need to be straightened out. I'm perfectly fine the way I am."

Cho turned to Ron. "I suppose this is your doing. I always suspected Granger, but never thought about you." With that she walked away to sit with friends at the Ravenclaw table.

"What was that about Harry? What did she mean that it was my doing?" Ron was trying to understand what had just happened. "What did she mean about a swing?"

"Harry, do you know what is going on?" asked Hermione.

"I think that we have Fred and George to thank for that. I don't want to explain here… let's go to my rooms after supper, and I'll try to explain."

There were plenty of looks, pointing and whispering during supper. The three friends were more uncomfortable than normal. Fred and George sat further down the table from them, laughing.

~~oo000oo~~

Supper was over and Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in Harry's suite waiting for Harry to explain.

"Earlier today I was attacked by two Ravenclaw girls, I couldn't get them to take their hands off me. Fred and George showed up just in time to help me out. Only they told the girls that I was taken and that we were going back to the tower to have a really good time."

"That doesn't sound bad, what does that have to do with what Cho did?"

"You don't understand Ron, Fred and George practically told them that I like guys better than girls. They even called me 'Sugarlips' as we walked away."

"I'll kill them! Wait until I get my hands on them!"

"I think that they meant this as a joke, but I'm not so sure. They also said that it was the only way to get the girls to leave me alone. I don't know which is worse, to be constantly attacked or to be considered a poofter."

"But that means that Cho thinks that I…" Ron's face was as white as a ghost. "I'll kill them! I really will kill them!"

"Calm down, Ron," Harry said, "Fred and George think they have done me a favor. I'm not sure that they haven't…"

"Harry! You don't feel THAT way, do you?"

"Of course not, Ron, but if it allows me to move around the castle unmolested then the idea has some appeal."

"But they are going to think the same of me!"

"That is certainly a problem… Hermione, what do you think?"

"I think that there are merits to the idea, but I see problems as well. Without you getting a girlfriend, there is little that can be done to prove that you're not. Everyone is going to think whatever they want to think. You don't have to encourage the idea, but simply ignoring it might be enough to keep tongues wagging and keep the girls at a distance."

"But, what about me? I don't want to be known as a poofter!"

"Ron, we can solve that by… by… by having them think that you… and I… are seeing each other." Hermione was red in the face and Ron was getting going from white to red quickly. "That is, if you want to?"

"Well yeah, but… I mean… will we need to… kiss… and everything?"

"Only if you want to... maybe this is a bad idea." Hermione asked with a little hurt in her voice.

"No, no, I think it is a good idea." Ron was mumbling to himself so he could barely be heard.

"What did you say Ron?" Hermione asked again.

"Come on guys, this isn't difficult. Ron, I know that you like Hermione as more than a friend, right?"

"Well… yeah, sorta."

Don't give me that 'yeah sorta' nonsense. Buck up your Gryffindor courage and tell me, yes or no, do you like Hermione as more than a friend?"

"Yeah… yeah I do."

"Hermione, do you like Ron as more than a friend? Same deal, yes or no?"

"I think I do."

"That is not good enough Hermione. Yes or no?'

"Yes." Ron looked at Hermione with a lopsided grin while Hermione blushed. Harry had a smug look on his face.

"I have wanted to do that for years. You two have been tiptoeing around each other when it has been obvious to all of Gryffindor that you care for each other. Fred and George even have a betting pool as to when you two will wise up and admit your feelings."

"Fred and George what…?" Hermione looked upset, "…they were taking bets?"

"Yep, and most of Gryffindor has placed their wagers, even McGonagall has chipped in. I'm going to get in so much trouble for doing what I just did, but I'm tired of watching you torture each other. Either the two of you work as a couple, or you don't. There is only one way to find out. I'm going out to the common room for as long as I can stand it and when I come back I want to see some swollen lips."

Harry took some school books and entered the common room, all eyes were on him. He thought that he was in for more trouble with girls jumping on him.

"Did you really tell Professor Umbridge that she was a liar?" It was one of the sixth years asking.

"Yeah, I did."

"You told her that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back?"

"Yeah, that too, I told her the truth… and I have detention for a week."

"Is it true? That You-Know-Who is back?"

"Yes."

"Did he kill Cedric Diggory?"

"No, but he ordered it done. Look I don't want to talk about that night. Either you believe me and Dumbledore or you don't. My talking about it doesn't change anything." Harry's temper was beginning to show, he didn't like thinking about Cedric and that night. He sat in what used to be his favorite chair and opened one of his books.

"Harry, is it true about… you know?"

"Is what true?"

"About you being taken and having a boyfriend?" Asked a female voice from behind him somewhere.

Here it was, the moment that he wasn't prepared for. If he said 'yes' then it would be easier to be at Hogwarts. If he said 'no' then he would be harassed for months or years. What was it that Hermione said, let them think what they wanted? He said nothing, he just sunk lower in his chair and pulled the book closer to his face. He didn't know if this was the right thing to do but he did it anyway. At least the speculation wouldn't be printed in the Daily Prophet or Witch Weekly, and he was very thankful for that. He was worried that word would spread outside of Hogwarts, and he didn't have a way to deal with that, he would just have to deal with that when the time came.

There weren't any more questions coming from the common room. He was left alone while he studied but there was an uncomfortable feeling in the air.

~~oo000oo~~

Two hours after he left, he returned to his rooms to find Ron and Hermione trying to quickly make themselves more presentable. It was obvious that his plan had worked.

"I'm glad you two enjoyed yourselves. I was asked if I had a boyfriend, and I didn't answer. It will be all over the school by morning. I think that you two need to be seen together doing what you have just learned to do, the sooner the better."

"Oh, Harry, I know that it is going to be terrible for you, but I hope that it brings you relief from what you have been going through."

"Yeah, Harry, what she said."

"Thanks, I don't know how I get myself into these situations but I'm thankful that you two are here to help me through it."

~~oo000oo~~

Harry didn't sleep well that night, he was upset about what he did with the rumors and he had a bad dream of Voldemort laughing at him. Soaking in the tub didn't help much and he got very little sleep. The next morning he met Ron and Hermione for breakfast and got ready for the day. He had Flitwick, McGonagall, Hagrid and Sprout for his classes that day. At least he was going to learn something useful.

~~oo000oo~~

He made it through his classes and supper; it was now time to start his detention. He entered the DADA classroom and found the toad waiting for him.

"Come in, Mr. Potter, you are right on time." She said in her sickeningly sweet voice. It made his stomach turn to just be around the toad.

"I'm here for my detention, Professor Umbridge. What would you like for me to do?"

"I should think that doing lines is an appropriate punishment. Sit there in that desk, and we shall start." Harry sat and waited without saying a word. "You are to write 'I must not tell lies.'" There was a quill and parchment on the desk but no ink, he reached into his bag for a bottle when she said, "You won't be needing that my dear, you only need the quill."

Harry started writing with the quill and felt a stinging on the back of his hand. He recognized the quill now, he had to use them several times over the summer with his business dealings and he wasn't going to stand for it.

"This is a blood quill, it is prohibited by the ministry for all uses except for certain legal documents. What are you doing with one?" She looked surprised that he knew what it was.

"I can assure you, Mr. Potter, that it is perfectly legal, and you are to use it to write lines."

"You are a liar, and I refuse."

"That will be another month of detentions, and you will either write lines or I'll see you expelled."

"You can try, but you won't get far. This detention is over." Harry turned and walked away while she continued to yell threats. He knew that this was going to mean more trouble, but he didn't care. Since the moment he arrived at Kings Cross he had taken nothing but abuse, and he was sick of it.

On the way back up to the common room, he had an idea. It was still early in the evening and all the Gryffindors were in the common room studying or playing games. Harry passed Ron and Hermione and ignored their questions. He stepped up on the top of a table to get everyone's attention.

"Can I have your attention, please?" The room quieted and he continued. "Can I have a show of hands of those who have had a class with Umbridge?" A majority of hands went in the air. "Do any of you have anything good to say about her?"

Angelina Johnson answered. "She's a nightmare and I'm going to fail my NEWTs with what she's teaching." There was a lot of nods and agreement in the room.

"One more question, in light of that, just how important is the House Cup to you?" Harry asked "Is the house cup more important than OWLs, NEWTs and getting trained to protect yourselves?" The room was quiet for a few moments with plenty of puzzled looks before Harry continued. "If you agree that the House Cup isn't as important as our education, then we can rid ourselves of the evil toad, if we all agree to stick together."

"Just what are you thinking, Harrikins?" Said one of the twins.

"I'm proposing that Gryffindor simply doesn't attend her classes. She will threaten everyone with detentions and take points. If we don't care about the House Cup, then the points are meaningless."

"What about the detentions?" asked Ginny.

"We don't go. There is nothing she can personally do to force you to attend."

"Won't Dumbledore or McGonagall assign detentions for disobeying a professor?" a seventh year that he didn't know asked.

"We simply don't go to those either. If it has anything to do with Umbridge or is a result of refusing to obey Umbridge, then we don't comply. We will definitely be threatened with expulsion, but if one of us goes, then we all walk out of the castle. They aren't going to allow a fourth of their students to leave. And I bet that we won't be alone, once the other houses hear about this there will be no one left in Umbridge's classes."

"What about Snape?"

"We have to agree to one thing at a time, we can't change everything at once. First, we concentrate on the toad, anything beyond that is going to require another meeting like this and let everyone have their say in the matter. Also, we need to agree that our disobedience only applies to the toad. If you get a detention for anything else you will need to go. Unless one of you wants to do it, I'm going to try to take the brunt of the storm. There is going to be a lot of yelling and abuse coming toward whoever they see as the leader, and they will surely threaten to call the parents of the that person, I don't have that problem. What do all of you think? Does this sound like something that we want to do? Does anyone have a better idea?"

"But Harry, we could get in so much trouble."

"Hermione, what is more important to you, getting a good education or kissing up to every authority figure that you see. I'm sorry if that hurts your feelings, but you have a serious problem that you need to deal with. Not all authority figures are worth respecting, and the toad is a prime example."

"I'll do it, but I'm not going to like it."

"That's all I can ask. Does anyone else have anything to say?" Harry looked around and no one said a word. "Can I have a show of hands of all of you that are willing to do this?" Some hands went into the air quickly, some took more time, like the first years that didn't know what was going on, but eventually every hand was raised.

"All right, who has a class with Umbridge tomorrow?" The fourth years raised their hands. "Alright, I would like all of you to go to the library and study for one of your other classes. When you are questioned about not being in the toad's class then tell them to see me. Remember we are all going to stick together. I promise you that it is going to work out." With that he stepped down from the table and went to sit with Ron and Hermione.

"You didn't have to talk that way to me. I don't have an authority complex."

"Do you believe that there are bad people in the world?"

"Of course there are."

"Do you think that somewhere in your life that you have met one? If so, name one." There was silence coming from Hermione. "You look to all adults as wanting to care and nurture you. When kids were mean to you in your school the adults tried to make it better for you. You have grown accustomed to viewing every adult as being good because that is what you have experienced. On the other hand I have met very few that I view that way, the Dursleys are examples of that. There are good and bad people, and those that are a mixture of the two, you need to recognize them for what they are. You are going to get yourself in trouble trusting the wrong people if you don't."

~~oo000oo~~

Harry had a problem sleeping, with the problems that he had with girls and Umbridge, and with the problems that he knew were coming, he couldn't get to sleep. The bathtub only helped so much, he wished that he had his tent here, but his suite wasn't safe from McGonagall and Dumbledore, they were bound to see it and start piecing things together. He wished that he could talk to his portraits and see if they could come up with a solution.

~~oo000oo~~

He knew that he was going to be in trouble when he came to breakfast, he timed his arrival a little later than normal, when the most amount of students were present. Umbridge stormed down from the head table when he came through the doors. She met him in the middle of the hall. "Mr. Potter, your behavior is unacceptable. You will spend the rest of the year in detention…"

"No." He spoke loud enough that the entire hall could hear.

"Wha… what do you mean 'no?' You will do as you are told or else."

"No." Every ear in the room was listening to the exchange.

"I will see you expelled, you miserable brat." Her voice was no longer sickeningly sweet.

"You can try, but you will fail."

Dumbledore arrived to deal with the matter. "I'm afraid that Professor Umbridge is within her rights to assign detentions as she sees fit."

"Does this include the use of a blood quill to punish a student?"

"You liar, I would never do such a thing and you can't prove it." Umbridge was nearly screaming "You will serve my detentions."

"No."

"Harry, I can't let this disrespect of a professor stand. Either you comply, or you will be suspended for a week." Dumbledore said while Umbridge smirked.

"You can do what you will. I'm not going to serve a detention with this miserable excuse for a human being. In fact, she makes a better toad than a human being."

"That will be two weeks of suspension."

"I will go pack my things then." He turned, and gave a slight nod of his head. The entire Gryffindor table stood and started to follow Harry.

"And where are all of you going?" Dumbledore asked.

"If Harry goes, we all go," said a second year that Harry didn't know the name of.

Dumbledore didn't know what to think as Gryffindor walked out of the Great Hall. He saw that many of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students starting to leave as well. Before long, everyone - except for some Slytherins - was filing out the door.

"Stop them! Do something!" Umbridge was shrieking at the top of her voice.

"You are free to try, Delores, but it seems that we have a problem." Dumbledore had never dealt with a revolt like this, but he knew that it centered on Harry Potter.

Dumbledore and Dolores Umbridge hurried to catch Harry and found him waiting for them in the Entry on the first few steps up the Grand Staircase. The rest of the student body filled the entry and staircase, there were still some trying to get out of the Great Hall.

"You obviously have us at a disadvantage. Perhaps we can discuss this calmly, in my office."

"We can discuss this here and now. It affects the entire student body. They have a right to know what is going to happen."

"What are the terms of you staying and calling this revolt off?" Dumbledore said calmly.

"Staying? I demand that he be removed from the school at once!" Umbridge was livid.

"Either the toad is gone by the end of the day, or the school will be empty of students until she does." There were a lot of nodding heads to support the demand.

"Surely there is some accommodation that can be made before we take such a drastic measure."

"Why should there be an accommodation? The demand is clear enough."

"I'll have you arrested for inciting a riot among the students of Hogwarts." Her face was purple and she was puffed up like she was ready to explode.

"May I have a show of hands of those willing to raise their wands in my defense?" It started with a few hands and grew to most of the students watching. "There is your answer. You can try to arrest me, but you will run into a lot of opposition."

Dumbledore turned to Umbridge "It seems to be your call. Either you can stay within these walls without students or you can leave. I have done all I can do."

"I'll call the minister! He will fix this!"

"Please, call Minister Fudge, I would like to speak with him anyway." Harry responded.

Umbridge pushed her way through the students while Harry addressed the crowd. "You might as well return to your breakfasts, this may take a while, Minister Fudge will meet us in the Great Hall."

The students started to move to the Great Hall with Harry following behind. He hadn't had his breakfast yet, and he was hungry. He sat down with his friends nearby as he started to pile food on his plate.

"How can you think of food at a time like this? The Minister for Magic is coming, probably with aurors, and you could be arrested." Hermione was almost frantic.

"There isn't a chance of that. I know something that will make the minister back down immediately. Just watch his face during the showdown. That reminds me." Harry turned and raised his voice. "Colin, do you have your camera?" With confirmation that he did Harry said. "You might want to get a shot of the minister's face, and I would like a copy."

"Just what do you know, Harry? It sounds like you intend to blackmail the Minister for Magic." Ron asked.

"I wouldn't exactly call it blackmail. You will just have to watch. All of this talk can wait. I want to have my breakfast." Harry turned his attention to his food, and students around him didn't know what to do. No more than fifteen minutes later, Fudge entered the Great Hall with Madam Bones and at least a dozen aurors.

"Where is that upstart troublemaker?" Fudge was storming toward Harry. Harry swallowed his last mouthful and stood up. "What are you doing disobeying a direct order of a Ministry official? Aurors, arrest him." Hundreds of students stood and pointed their wands at the visitors. Harry looked around, and was surprised to see Susan Bones pointing her wand at the aurors with her aunt present.

"I wouldn't do that, Minister. You can see that you will have a little problem enforcing your orders. You can also see that I won't come peacefully. By the way, you wouldn't be missing a ledger would you?" The minister's mouth dropped open, and he turned white as a ghost as Colin's camera flashed."

"Good one, Harry. Thanks!" Harry turned around to give a thumbs up to Colin.

"You see, Minister Fudge, I was given a copy of the most interesting ledger. It seems to have many entries that you might be concerned about. I believe that the original is with the Daily Prophet… you can count on two hands the days remaining before you are thrown out of office. Now I think it would be best if you take your aurors back to the Ministry, and take that reprehensible toad with you… Madam Bones, I request to speak with you at your earliest convenience."

Fudge was still in shock and didn't move for the longest time. Finally he motioned for Umbridge and the rest of his group to leave without another word. No one could believe what had just happened, most faces were in shock. In less than an hour, Harry had gotten rid of Umbridge and overthrown the Minister for Magic. Harry just sat down to finish his breakfast.

"Harry, I can't believe you did that."

"Hermione, I told you that I wouldn't be arrested. In fact, I'm not in trouble at all. The plan worked much better than I thought."

Dumbledore stood at the head table. "Due to the events of the day, classes are cancelled until tomorrow. Mr. Potter, I would like to see you in my office immediately" Dumbledore didn't seem too happy.

Harry turned to Hermione as he got up. "Well, maybe just a little trouble," and grinned at her.

~~oo000oo~~

Dumbledore tried to set a fast pace to his office but Harry had other ideas and purposefully walked slower. Before long though, he was sitting before a very upset headmaster.

"Explain yourself."

"Umbridge and Fudge needed to go. One was incompetent and the other corrupt. Both have been taken care of."

"You have overstepped your bounds. You can't force a professor from Hogwarts."

"You may have noticed that I didn't force a professor from Hogwarts, the entire student body did. This is not the action of one person."

"But you led your classmates into open revolt. That can't be tolerated."

"I think you will find that any punishment of me will rebound against you. I seem to have the support of the students of this school."

"I can't have you running around trying to run this school. That is the job of the headmaster."

"Then I suggest that you start doing your job. The students are fed up with incompetent professors. After today's demonstration of what a unified student body can do, I would expect to see more of it."

"Just whom are you threatening?"

"Snape and Binns."

"That is Professor Snape and Professor Binns."

"Not for long."

"Don't threaten me."

"I'm not threatening you, I'm telling you that you have a problem that you need to address. Your inaction in regards to two of your professors - three if you count Umbridge - will cause the students of this school to take action that you refuse to take. You have a very short time to act; you need to listen to the students of this school instead of sitting in this office all day. You have lost touch of the needs of the students."

"You have changed, and not for the better."

"That is your opinion, not mine. Is there anything else that you wish to discuss?"

"Where were you this summer?"

"I told you that is none of your business. If that is all, I'm leaving." Harry stood up and left the office. He could hardly believe that he said what he did, but it needed saying.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry returned to the common room to face a barrage of questions.

"Are you in trouble Harry? What did the Headmaster say? Are we all going to be suspended?"

"Calm down, Hermione, everything is just fine. No one is going to be suspended, and I'm not in trouble, at least nothing that I can't handle. I'll be right back." Harry went to the same table that he used the night before. "May I please have everyone's attention one more time?" He waited for a few moments. "I just want to thank everyone for their support this morning. It went far better than I thought it would. We accomplished our goals without a single detention or a single point lost. I couldn't have done it without the complete support of each of you. I'm proud to call myself a Gryffindor." Harry stepped down from the table to loud clapping.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry sat down next to Ron and Hermione and was approached by the twins.

"You have big brass ones, Harry…"

"…to take on Umbridge…"

"…and then the Minister himself…"

"…takes a lot of balls."

"You showed every one…"

"…what they looked like this summer…"

"…but they should be mounted…"

"…and worshipped."

"Uh… Guys? The mental picture of that is not too pleasant, I'm not done using them yet. Is it alright if I keep them for a while?" Everyone laughed until Lavender came up to them and immediately sat in Harry's lap. "I could take care of them for you, Harry, and we could use them as much as you want."

"Lavender!"

~~oo000oo~~

Just after returning from lunch, McGonagall brought Amelia Bones into the common room and left.

"Mr. Potter, we haven't been formally introduced; I'm Amelia Bones, director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." She stuck out her hand, and Harry firmly grasped it.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, your reputation precedes you, and I'm proud to make your acquaintance."

"That is good to hear. After this morning, I was afraid you were after my job as well." She had a smile on her face, and Harry did as well.

"Perhaps we can have this conversation in my rooms?"

~~oo000oo~~

Harry and Amelia were sitting comfortably in his room when he took out his wand and cast a privacy bubble around their chairs.

"Why do you think that it is necessary to silence this conversation?

"The headmaster takes too big of an interest in everything that I do. He would love to find out information that he has no business knowing."

"I can understand that. He does tend to have that habit."

"That is very true. Madam Bones, I appreciate that you came so quickly, I know that you are a very busy person who is about to get a lot busier because of the revelations to come."

"About that, you said that you had a copy of a ledger? May I see it?" Harry walked into his study, opened his trunk and returned with his copy.

"Feel free to look at it as much as you like but the original is with the Daily Prophet, and I would like to have that one back. You will want to talk to Remus Lupin."

"Just to assuage my curiosity, the lies regarding you in the newspaper abruptly stopped with the appointment of a new publisher, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that?"

"It is not general knowledge, and I would like to keep it that way, but I was able to purchase or have proxy to 87 percent of the stock of the Daily Prophet. I threw out the old management and installed the most honest man that I know."

"That is indeed good news. That paper has been an embarrassment for as long as I can remember."

"With a lot of hard work, that is about to change."

"Back to the matter at hand, what can you tell me about this ledger?"

"It is a list of all the bribes that Fudge has received. The fool kept a record of everything that he did." Madam Bones took a few minutes to read some of the pages. "As you can see, there is enough evidence to have him thrown into Azkaban."

"I'll have to contact Mr. Lupin and get the original of this. Now I'm sure that this is not the entire reason that you wanted to see me."

"You're right. How do you feel about those who wear the dark mark?"

"I would like to see them prosecuted and sent to Azkaban as quickly as possible."

"I was hoping that you would say that. I would like to support you in an effort to have you replace Fudge. I'll give you all the financial backing that you can possibly need. I'll make a public endorsement if you think that will help. I only ask that you to do what you have already said you will do."

"I'm very happy where I am, and I don't know if I want the minister's job."

"Can you name for me one person who is better qualified for the job, one that will be as tough on Death Eaters?

"I can't think of one off the top of my head."

"That is the opinion of everyone I've asked. That is the reason that I need you to take the job. Voldemort and his Death Eaters have an unhealthy desire to see me dead. I intend to do something about it, and I need you there to deal out punishment."

"May I ask what you have in mind?" Harry spent the next fifteen minutes outlining his plan.

"I'm impressed, and I'm as excited about it as you are... Okay, you have a deal. I will run for the minister's position, and I'll take you up on your offers."

"I should also mention that if it is necessary, I met the heirs to some very old families that still have hereditary seats in the Wizengamot this summer. Some of these seats are of ancient families that haven't voted for hundreds of years. We got along very well together and I think that I can get proxies for their votes if needed."

"You are just full of surprises. Is there anything else that I should know?" She said with a smile.

"Nope, that about covers it."

Madam Bones was just about to go through the exit back into the Gryffindor common room when she turned back to Harry. "Speaking of covering things, or should I say uncovering things, my Susan enjoyed Witch Weekly very much this summer." And with a laugh she was gone.


	15. Chapter 15

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Chapter 15

"What did you talk to Madam Bones about Harry?" Hermione asked, while Ron was looking on intently.

Harry didn't answer, even though he was in the privacy of his own room he took out his wand and cast another privacy bubble.

"Why did you do that?" Hermione asked again.

"Because I don't like the idea that there may be listening charms in here. I wanted to talk to you about things that I don't want Dumbledore to know."

"Okay, back to my question. What did you talk to Madam Bones about?"

"This and that, I had a copy of some evidence about Fudge that she was interested in seeing, and I wanted to encourage her to run to replace him. I offered to do a public endorsement if she wanted it."

"But you never do endorsements. Why now?" Hermione asked.

"Because she intends to be tough on Death Eaters, and anytime that I can help get rid of someone that is trying to kill me, I'm all for the idea."

"That does seem like a good time to do an endorsement." Ron said grinning.

"That's what I thought," Harry replied. "Hermione, I have told you both about my tent. What I haven't told you is that I sleep beautifully every night when I'm in the jungle. I have never had a bad dream in there. In reverse, I've not had a good night's sleep since I have been here. I can't bring my tent here because McGonagall and the headmaster have permanent access to this suite. If they look at it they will know that I was never in Africa, never found gold, faked the pictures, etcetera. I want to find a way to hide it, possibly with a Fidelius charm. The problem is that I know very little about that charm and wondered what you know about it."

"I know that it is a difficult charm and the power needed is based on how many people already know about what is about to be hidden; the more people whose memories need to be modified by the spell, the more power that it takes."

"What about if we just limit it to the three of us?"

"That wouldn't take too much power, it would only be the problem of getting the charm right."

"Is there any downside to trying and failing?" Harry asked

"I don't believe so, I think that it either works or it doesn't."'

"Could you find out more about it for me? I could really use a good night's sleep, I got spoiled over the summer and I can't tell you how much I miss it."

"Is there anything else?"

"I was wondering about the dark mark and how it works. I have a feeling about it and I want to know more. Do you know where to begin?"

"I can check some books and let you know. I can't promise anything."

"Whatever you can do would be most appreciated. I don't intend for the work on the dark mark to be kept secret. We can have half the school working on it and I wouldn't care - in fact, I think that it would be brilliant."

~~oo000oo~~

Harry, Hermione and Ron were on the way to the Great Hall for supper when, from out of the shadows, stepped Draco Malfoy.

"You think that you are God's gift to women don't you? Run around naked and take photos of yourself and now everyone throws themselves at you."

"What's the matter, Draco, jealous?"

"You wish, Potter. You're pitiful, you aren't good enough to polish my boots. You couldn't even buy the land in Africa. It took a Malfoy to do what you couldn't, you don't have what it takes."

"And the reason you feel the need to tell me this is why? Does your ego need a boost this badly? Poor little Draco feels insecure and has to use me to make himself feel adequate? Now who's pitiful?"

"Why you…! Wait until my father hears of this!"

"Still hiding behind your daddy, Draco? Can't you stand up for yourself, or are you too weak to do so?" Draco tried to draw his wand only to face three wands pointing directly toward him, as Snape seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"What is the meaning of this? Put those wands away. For ganging up on an innocent student that will be fifty points from Gryffindor… each. Now move on."

"But he started it!" Ron was red in the face and ready to argue.

"Would you like to lose more points, Weasley?" Snape said with his usual drawl.

"Come on, Ron, let's leave. We need to go to supper and discuss what happened to Professor Umbridge, to make sure that it doesn't happen again." Harry gave Snape a smile and the three of them walked away.

~~oo000oo~~

Once they were seated Ron burst out. "That was bloody brilliant, mate, did you see the greasy git's face?"

"Ron, language."

"Hermione, did you see Snape's face when Harry said that?"

"I did, and I think that it was uncalled for."

"There you go again with your authority complex, Hermione." Harry said. "You have never met an adult that you didn't look up to."

"It is a matter of respect, Harry. It isn't right to treat a teacher that way."

"As I have said before, respect has to be earned. Snape has done everything in his power to lose respect from nearly everyone in the school but you."

"That isn't true. There are plenty of other students who respect Professor Snape."

"Name one who isn't a Slytherin." Harry said as Hermione paid more attention to her food than her friends.

~~oo000oo~~

It took Dumbledore three days to find a new Defense teacher. Nigel Lancaster was a retired auror, but he was not known for capturing criminals, he spent thirty years in the evidence room of the DMLE. He did know the subject material and was good at teaching it. He wasn't the best teacher, but he was far from the worst. With the curse on the position, it was as good as anyone could expect and the students seemed to accept him. He was a vast improvement over Umbridge, at least the students would learn from him.

~~oo000oo~~

Two weeks had passed with Harry still getting assaulted by girls, although less than at the beginning. He didn't know if it was a result of the rumor or that they weren't getting any response from him. He still had to travel with others to keep them at bay, but it was becoming more manageable. His nights were plagued with nightmares and Harry was so tired that he nearly fell asleep in class.

Many students had approached Harry about removing Snape from Hogwarts. He asked them to be patient and let the headmaster deal with the problem.

Fudge had been removed from office and sent to Azkaban with Amelia Bones replacing him until elections could be held. She had already implemented changes to undo much of what Fudge had done. She couldn't move as quickly as she wanted because of opposition in the Wizengamot.

Harry thought it was time to act. He sent letters to both Varnok and Remus, explaining what he wanted done. One morning at breakfast the owls delivered a surprise to everyone.

~~oo000oo~~

_HARRY POTTER CREATES BOUNTY ON VOLDEMORT_

_Today, Harry Potter announced that he was issuing a bounty on Voldemort. He has created a trust that will pay one million galleons for the capture or death of Voldemort. He is also placing a one hundred thousand galleon bounty on anyone bearing the dark mark. "Voldemort and his Death Eaters have made killing me a prime objective. If I am dead, the Potter fortune will not do me any good. Therefore I am using my money to place a bounty on any individuals who threaten me and the rest of our world."_

_Mr. Potter went on to state that he doesn't encourage vigilantism in the capture of these individuals. He would much prefer that the ministry handle the problem. He also wanted to make it clear that the bounty also applies to those aurors and hitwizards employed by the ministry. "I don't care who does the job of capturing Death Eaters, only that they be removed from society. I want to also state that if a Death Eater should choose to fight his capture and is mortally wounded, the bounty would still apply in that case, not that I'm suggesting that they be killed on sight. Meting out justice is the job of the ministry, not individuals."_

_Minister Bones wanted to comment that she applauds what Mr. Potter has done and wanted to add that anyone who brings Voldemort to justice will be forgiven of all crimes, including bearing the dark mark._

~~oo000oo~~

Except for the rustling of newspapers moving between students there wasn't a sound in the Great Hall. Harry looked at the paper to confirm what he expected to be printed and returned to his breakfast. Then pandemonium broke out. There were cheers from most of the students with angry swearing from most of the Slytherins.

"What have you done, Harry?" Hermione didn't know what to think.

"I have taken the war to Voldemort and sowed dissension in his ranks. I have also moved to eliminate a lot of bad people."

"But you can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"You just issued a wanted dead or alive order against a lot of people."

"I just placed a bounty on murdering scum. I want them locked up before they kill anyone else, especially me."

Dumbledore stood at the head table. "Mr. Potter, in my office, now!"

~~oo000oo~~

Harry sat across from Dumbledore and waited for him to start.

"Why did you feel that it is necessary to do this?"

"Why do you think?"

"This is no way to go about solving the problems with Death Eaters. You have just ended the lives of many of these men."

"Why is that bad? They have ended the lives of countless innocents."

"You must learn forgiveness or you will be just as bad as they are." Dumbledore was giving him the sad stare that was meant to make him feel guilty.

"I don't want to kill innocents and I never will. I don't see how you can compare me to them."

"These men will never have the chance to feel remorse and reform. You have taken away their rights as human beings."

"I have taken away nothing. They can turn themselves over to the DMLE and beg for forgiveness. It will be up to the Wizengamot as to whether they are believed or not."

"Everyone has a right for forgiveness, Harry. What you have done is wrong."

"How many innocent people have you condemned to death by letting the Death Eaters continue their streak of murder, ten - a hundred - a thousand? It seems to me that you are more concerned for the guilty than the innocent. Why is that Headmaster?"

"You are looking at things much too simply, it is far more complex."

"Murder is wrong. Murderers should be stopped, and innocent lives should be saved. What is complex about that?"

"When you have more life experiences you will learn that not everything is black and white."

"Maybe you should remember that some things are black and white. My wanting to live is one of those things."

"That is why your safety is important. You are the one who seems cavalier about your life."

"You think that protecting me from a threat is sufficient. I believe that eliminating the threat to me and the rest of our world is the better way, more lives are saved my way."

"Do you realize what you have done to Professor Snape?"

"How many people has Snape murdered?"

"He has reformed and feels great remorse for what he has done."

"Then I suggest that he hurry to the DMLE and Wizengamot to confess his crimes and submit to the judgment of the Wizengamot."

"I'm severely disappointed in you. You have a callous disregard for others in your heart and it is most unattractive."

"On the contrary, I have a high regard for innocent life. Yours seems to be missing."

"Are you going to rescind this bounty?"

"Not on your life. I intend to raise it if necessary."

"I can't believe that you have fallen so low."

"We simply are not going to agree on this subject. Have you done anything to deal with Binns and Snape?"

"I intend to have a talk with both."

"You haven't done that yet? I'm asked many times a day when something is going to happen. The students are getting impatient. I wouldn't be surprised if someone else is chosen to lead them if I do nothing."

"I will talk to them soon. My concern now is for Professor Snape's safety."

"My concern is for the students. Again we must disagree." Harry was getting tired of this. "We don't seem to be getting anywhere. Is there anything else to discuss?"

"Where were you this summer?"

"Not that shit again. This meeting is over." Harry walked out of the office and hurried to his class, he barely made it in before the bell rang.

~~oo000oo~~

In Voldemort's lair, things were not looking rosy.

"Why are you looking at me? Crucio!"

Voldemort made sure that his back was to the wall at all times and he carried his wand in his hand constantly. There were more locks, charms and hexes on his bedroom door than were at Gringotts.

Voldemort was not happy.

~~oo000oo~~

Draco couldn't leave things alone, but Harry was onto the scheme. On the way to supper, Draco got in front of Harry and friends and started his usual routine.

"You're pitiful, Potter, you think that the paltry bounty is going to hurt the Dark Lord? You don't have enough money to make a difference. A million galleons is nothing to a Malfoy, we spend more than that on parties every year."

"PROFESSOR SNAPE, YOU CAN COME OUT NOW! DON'T BE SHY, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE LURKING IN THE SHADOWS." Other students heard the shouting and stopped to see what was happening. Harry looked at the students and asked, "Would you please look in all the corners and alcoves, Professor Snape is being shy and doesn't want to be found. We need to make him feel welcome."

More students stopped by and then started to help to find Snape. In only minutes he was found hiding behind a tapestry. "Here he is, Harry, he found something interesting behind one of the tapestries." There was a great deal of laughter from the crowd that gathered as Snape stormed away with his robes billowing.

"Draco, I'm not stupid enough to fall for your games again. The days of you and Snape setting us up are over. I have contacted the DMLE and told them that Snape is a Death Eater, they should be here soon." Harry was grinning watching Draco turn red, "And Draco, has your father found the gold yet?" Harry walked away to the Great Hall laughing.

Harry was just finishing supper when the doors opened to see Mad-Eye Moody and a team of aurors enter and walk to the head table.

One of the youngest aurors said "Severus Snape, you are under arrest for suspicion of wearing the dark mark. Will you come along quietly?" One of the aurors was young and had had Snape for a professor, he was loving the idea of arresting his least favorite professor.

"Do I have a choice?" Snape was staring at Harry with an expression of pure loathing.

"None at all, Sir." Snape was marched from the hall to the clapping and cheers of most of the student body. Harry caught the eye of Moody and asked for him to meet him later.

Dumbledore was in shock at how the students reacted to this most unfortunate turn of events for their professor. There were no signs of compassion anywhere. He hurried from the hall to go to the ministry to try to help get his friend released.

"That was great, Harry, the greasy git is going to get what he deserves." Ron was gleeful. There was still a lot of happy excitement in the hall.

"I hope you're right, Ron. Somehow I think that Dumbledore might find a way to get him off." There was a long line of boys waiting to give Harry a high five and there was a longer line of girls waiting to give him a kiss. He high fived a few on his way out of the Great Hall and hurried back to Gryffindor tower.

~~oo000oo~~

"You wanted to see me, Potter? You sent me on a merry chase this summer, so you better make it good." Moody started.

"Thank you for coming, did you read about the bounty?"

"Sure did, that should get rid of some of those scum suckers."

"That's what I thought, but I have another idea that involves you, that is, if you are willing to do it?"

"Let's hear what ya' got."

"I want to fund a group of mercenaries that you select to track down Death Eaters. I figure that if Voldemort can go to the continent and find mercenaries for his side, that there should be some to hire for ours. I want to pay them very well, the bounty would still apply to them in addition to their fees. I just feel that the aurors could use all the help they can get, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get Death Eaters off the streets."

"How many are you thinking?"

"All you can find."

"It will be expensive, can you afford it on top of the bounty?"

"No problem. How about I put two million galleons at your disposal, you can return what you don't need, or I can give you more if necessary?"

"I like you, kid, you don't do things by half. When do you want me to start?"

"I'll have the money for you tomorrow. Just go to Gringotts, and ask for Varnok."

~~oo000oo~~

A week had gone by and Harry had paid out nearly two million galleons in bounty for Death Eaters captured. Amycus Carrow was one of those that resisted arrest and was dead on arrival, Harry wasn't sorry in the least. What he was most concerned with was Snape, he heard that he was locked up awaiting trial, but nothing had happened yet. Potions class had been cancelled, and there were a lot of happy students.

~~oo000oo~~

_SEVERUS SNAPE FOUND INNOCENT_

_Last evening, Hogwarts' professor and potions master was found innocent of being a Death Eater. Following a very heated debate of Wizengamot members, Severus Snape was found innocent by a one vote margin. _

_While Mr. Snape was indeed wearing the dark mark, he was said to have reformed and repudiated the assertion that he continued to be a Death Eater. Albus Dumbledore argued in favor of Mr. Snape's acquittal saying that he had reformed and that he has been invaluable as a spy within Voldemort's ranks._

The article went on to give the history and achievements of the youngest potion master in over a hundred years. Harry thought it was worthless blather, and that Snape was destined to return to Hogwarts. It was time to talk to the students of Gryffindor again.

~~oo000oo~~

Once again Harry was standing on a table in the Gryffindor common room, he had waited until early evening again so that everyone was there.

"May I have everyone's attention, please?" He only had to wait a few seconds. "I think that you all saw this morning's Daily Prophet, Snape has been acquitted and will likely be back at Hogwarts very soon. I have been asked frequently about doing the same thing to Snape as we did to Umbridge. I also told you last time that I would come to all of you for discussion before any decision was made. What do you all think about this situation?"

"I'm for throwing his slimy ass out the door," said one of the sixth years.

"Why not, what do we have to lose?" said Ginny.

"Do you think that we can do it?" A third year asked.

"I think that we can do it, if we are all committed to the idea. It won't be as easy as it was the first time. I expect that we will have to sacrifice the House Cup and face a lot of animosity from the staff. I think that it will take a greater commitment, but it can be done."

"Besides the House Cup, what do we have to lose?" There were a lot of nods at this.

"Anything to get rid of Snape," which got even more nods.

"What if we get in trouble?" said Hermione, as expected.

"That is why we are here discussing this, Hermione. Is the trouble that we are asking for worth the risk?" Harry responded. "If the rest of Gryffindor is for it, will you support the house?"

"If everyone else is for it, I'll go along," she said reluctantly.

"Then if that is settled, are there any other comments, or would you like to put it to a vote?" Harry asked.

"Let's have a vote." Dean Thomas replied.

"Okay, all in favor of trying to get rid of Snape?" Most of the hands raised in the air immediately with a few raising about a minute later. "Alright, hands down, are there any opposed?" No hands went up. "Next question, do you want me to lead the fight, or would you like to have someone else? You are not going to hurt my feelings if you don't, I don't enjoy doing it but I will if you want me to." Harry looked around, but no one said anything. "All those in favor of me leading the fight raise your hands." All the hands were raised in the air. "If I'm going to take the lead on this, I need to be the first one to walk out followed by the rest of you. I don't have potions until Monday so we will have to wait until then to start." Harry raised his voice. "Let's get rid of Snape!" There were cheers to be heard, but not quite as many as he had hoped. He hoped that it would work out.

~~oo000oo~~

As expected, Snape returned to Hogwarts to a few cheers from Slytherin and a loud chorus of boos from the other houses. Dumbledore was dismayed to see the reception, he thought that surely there couldn't be this much animosity toward the Potions professor. He hoped that things could go back to normal in a short time.

~~oo000oo~~

On Monday morning, Harry sat in History of Magic going over scenarios of how he was going to handle Snape. He hoped that Snape would vent his anger at him, that would give him the excuse to leave, if not he was going to prod Snape into action.

Harry walked into potions and sat in his usual seat. Snape was staring at him with a hatred and loathing that made everything before pale by comparison. When the class had seated themselves, Snape began by immediately attacking Harry.

"You thought you had me didn't you Potter? You thought that you could lock me away in Azkaban and gloat as to how smart you are. You are smug and egotistical just like your father, and just as worthless too. You are a talentless school boy who has delusions that you can play with the adults. I have news for you, you are nothing. You are less than nothing, and I won't stand for you to be in my class. You are permanently banned from this classroom. Now get out!"

"Enjoy your remaining time, Professor, it shouldn't be long before you are booted from the castle."

"That is fifty points from Gryffindor for threatening a teacher. Now get out!"

Why don't you make it a hundred points, or a thousand? I really don't care what you do."

"That will be a month's detention. NOW, GET OUT."

"You can issue all the detentions that you like. I'm not serving them."

As Harry stood to leave the other Gryffindors did as well. The Ravenclaws that shared the class realized what was happening and left too. The battle had begun.

Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and dropped to the floor just in time for a curse to fly over his head. Snape had tried to curse him in the back.

"That is just like you, Snape, cursing someone in the back. Is that how you killed your victims as a Death Eater?" Snape sent a barrage of spells at Harry. He ducked and shielded until the other Gryffindors and Ravenclaws drew their wands and sent at least a dozen stunners at the potions professor. They left Snape lying on the floor, with enough stunners that would keep him out for hours if no one revived him.

At lunch all the other Gryffindors looked at Harry, and he nodded to confirm what he had done. There were whispers between tables and before long, at least three houses knew what had happened. Most of the afternoon Potion classes didn't bother to show up, some students saw Snape lying on the floor and didn't bother to revive him or report his condition. It was after supper before McGonagall was sent to find him. After he was revived, Snape told her that Potter had attacked him and left him lying there.

McGonagall marched up to the Gryffindor common room and confronted Harry in front of most of the house.

"Potter, I want you in my office, immediately!"

"What is this about, Professor?"

"Never mind that, I want you in my office!"

"Not until you tell me what this is about."

"That will be a week's detention. Now get in my office!"

"No, not until you tell me what this is about."

"That will be a month's detention, now move!"

"You can give me a year's detention, but you will still tell me what this is about."

"It is about your attack on Professor Snape."

"I didn't attack Snape, he tried to curse me in the back, and I dodged and shielded to protect myself, it was the rest of the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws that stunned him." There was plenty of nodding to confirm Harry's story. Hermione was sitting near the fireplace horrified at what was happening. She hadn't used her wand against Snape and didn't like what Harry was saying to McGonagall.

"Nevertheless, you will serve my detentions."

"No."

"What do you mean 'no?' You will face even more severe punishment if you continue to be rebellious."

"I will not serve any detentions that result from anything to do with Snape."

"Come with me to see the headmaster, your behavior will not be tolerated."

"No. If the headmaster wishes to see me in regards to Snape he can come here, and say what he needs to in front of all of Gryffindor."

"I find your attitude to be appalling." And she quickly left.

"Harry, how could you? That was Professor McGonagall, she is on our side!"

"Did you notice that she came in here believing every word from Snape? That doesn't exactly place her on 'our side.' Gryffindor voted to get rid of Snape, they also elected me to lead the effort, not you. I'm doing what I think is best. If you don't like it you can go up to your dormitory and pretend that this isn't happening. There is going to be a showdown, and I want it to be in front of everyone in Gryffindor." With that Harry took a seat waiting for Dumbledore to show up, he didn't think that it would take long. Harry was right. Within twenty minutes, both Dumbledore and McGonagall were in the common room.

"I have heard a very disturbing report of your insurrection. You will cease this nonsense immediately, or you will be expelled." Dumbledore was looking very upset.

"You can expel me, but you will also be expelling everyone in Gryffindor, and I expect many of those in other houses. You will lose at least half of your student body."

"Come with me to my office so we can discuss this rationally."

"No. We are going to discuss this here and now. The students of Gryffindor have a stake in everything that we talk about, and they have a right to hear it for themselves."

"You are making this more difficult than it needs to be."

"I have warned you more than once your lack of action was going to cause this to happen. You have no one to blame but yourself. You had your chance, now it has happened and you can no longer ignore the problem."

"You know that you will lose house points and serve detentions."

"We have agreed that the House Cup is meaningless, so you can deduct as many points as you want; we simply don't care. As for detentions you can order as many as you want, but they will not be served. Nobody in Gryffindor will serve any detentions resulting from our problems with Snape."

"That is Professor Snape."

"He is no longer our professor, we will never return to his classroom. He is just a Death Eater that you have allowed to terrorize the students of Hogwarts."

"I cannot allow this insurrection to stand. Gryffindor will lose privileges like Quidditch."

"You will have to put faculty guards on the pitch. We do not need official sanctions to play a friendly game with the other houses."

"What will it take for you to end this?"

"Snape is to be thrown out of Hogwarts, never to return."

"I'm afraid that I cannot permit this, I will have a word with Professor Snape to improve student relations."

"The time for you to do that has passed. You had your chance, and you have blown it. The only solution is to remove Snape, nothing else will do."

"I will have to give this matter further thought. For now you are to continue to attend your Potion classes. I will have a word with Professor Snape, so there will be no repercussions as a result of these events."

"No."

"Harry, be reasonable, you know that you can't treat Professor Snape this way."

"And you know that you can no longer protect him from his outrageous actions. We are through with him and the sooner that you get your head out of the clouds and fire that Death Eater the sooner you will have a school again. Until then there will be no more potion classes."

"I will take away your access to the head boy suite."

"That's fine by me. I'll simply curse every female that enters my dorm room." There were a lot of looks between the girls of Gryffindor.

"You wouldn't do that."

"Try me."

"We need to meet in my office in the morning when tempers have cooled so that we can calmly deal with your issues with Professor Snape."

"We can meet tomorrow evening, here in the common room, to continue this discussion."

"So be it." Dumbledore and McGonagall left without further word.

The comments that followed were as Harry expected.

"I say, Fred, I was right. They need to be mounted over the fireplace and worshipped every day.

"That was incredible, Harry."

"I can't believe that you stood up to him that way."

"Are we going to get in trouble for this?"

Harry answered the last question. "We are not going to be punished if we all stick together."

The comments continued throughout the evening. In fact, that was about all that was talked about. It was at lunch the next day when the first problems were realized. Harry got reports of numerous and excessive detentions being issued by other professors in their classes. Some Gryffindors received as much as two weeks of detention for being late to class and a week's detention for turning in homework with ink smudges. It was obvious what Dumbledore was trying to do, he was going to issue overly severe detentions for minor infractions to punish any and all Gryffindors.

Harry stood up from his lunch. "May I have the attention of all the Gryffindors? It is obvious from the ridiculous detentions that were received by Gryffindor this morning that it is impossible for us to accept the treatment from our Hogwarts professors. I'm asking that all of you return to the Gryffindor common room for the remainder of the day. We will discuss what our response will be to these latest actions of the headmaster." With that Harry walked out of the Great Hall to return to the common room, he was followed by many of the students. The rest followed as soon as they had finished their meal.

Harry was back on the table speaking to the crowd of students. "I believe that we have seen the beginning of the retribution that we are about to receive, it is my hope that you all agree to not submit to such an obvious attempt to force us into submission. We can weather the storm that is sure to follow. If we stop now, we will be stuck with Snape whose viciousness will only intensify to make our lives even more unpleasant… if that is even possible. I'm willing to listen to your comments."

"Harry we are in so much trouble, I didn't sign on to this insane idea to get in this much trouble!" Harry was troubled, he was expecting this, but he didn't like it.

"Hermione, as much as it pains me to do so, I ask that you pack your trunk and leave Gryffindor until this is over. Perhaps Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff will take you in."


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Note:

I don't understand why my story isn't viewed by more people. It has been a great disappointment to have less than 200 people read it, and have only 10 people review it during the 15 chapters that I have posted. I have changed the story summary twice with no effect on readership. I have tried posting at different times and days, again with no noticeable effect. Could someone PM me, or mention something in a review that might help me?

* * *

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Chapter 16

"Hermione, as much as it pains me to do so, I ask that you pack your trunk and leave Gryffindor until this is over. Perhaps Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff will take you in."

There was a shocked silence. No one could believe that the Golden Trio, as they had been nicknamed, would fall apart. Hermione's mouth was open and she was shocked that Harry would say such a thing to her."

"Harry, surely you will come to your senses and stop this madness." Hermione replied.

"I don't think that I have any choice in the matter, please pack your things and leave." Reluctantly Hermione left the common room heading to her dorm to pack.

"Harry, you can't do this to Hermione, she doesn't deserve this treatment." Ron was very upset.

"Ron, I know that this isn't easy for you, you care deeply for Hermione and you hate Snape. I'm not asking you to make a choice. Hermione will be welcome to return once Snape is removed from Hogwarts." Ron looked pensive; he didn't know which he cared about more. He finally decided that Hermione was wrong and she would eventually come to realize that he still cared when she returned from exile. If she didn't deal with her authority complex, they would have trouble later on in their relationship.

"Does anyone else have any comments that you would like to discuss?" There was a dead silence in the room. If Harry was willing to go to this extreme then he was dedicated to seeing this through to the end. Many people were shocked at Harry's resolve, he was dedicated to removing Snape and they were happy about it.

Hermione, with her trunk floating behind her, and Crookshanks perched atop, left Gryffindor tower to the stares and interested gazes of those around her. She knew that she would be back, but it didn't take the pain and embarrassment away.

~~oo000oo~~

Hermione stood in front of McGonagall's door for a few moments before knocking. She was unsure how to explain her predicament. Finally she gathered her courage and knocked on the door.

"Miss Granger, what are you doing here with your trunk behind you?"

"I didn't agree with Harry's insane plan and he asked me to pack my trunk and leave. He said that maybe I could stay with the Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs."

"He threw you out? You're one of his best friends, surely there is a misunderstanding, what did the rest of my Gryffindors do?"

"They all stood there and watched me leave without saying a word, even Ron." She said with a little tremble in her voice.

"Come with me then and we will get you settled for the night."

~~oo000oo~~

Hermione followed along with McGonagall to the Ravenclaw tower where McGonagall let herself in.

"I would like to speak with Miss Dexter, could someone get her for me?" One of girls hurried to the dorms to bring back the seventh year prefect. Those in the common room saw Hermione Granger with her trunk floating behind her and quickly assessed the situation correctly; they were in Ravenclaw after all.

"Professor McGonagall, how may I help you?"

"I ask that you find a room for Miss Granger until further notice."

The prefect looked around at shaking heads and replied, "I'm sorry Professor, but it is obvious that she is no longer welcome in Gryffindor, most likely because she disagrees with Harry Potter. Ravenclaw house supports Harry and we don't want anyone that can't support her best friend."

"It looks like I will need to speak with Professor Flitwick."

"You may be able to force her to stay, but you will never force us to welcome her."

Professor McGonagall and Hermione left Ravenclaw and found Hufflepuff to be less inclined to accept her than Ravenclaw. They were even more supportive of Harry and didn't like anyone that was disloyal to a best friend. Again they were told that she wouldn't be welcome. There was no need to try Slytherin before heading to see the headmaster.

"Professor McGonagall and Miss Granger, what a surprise, what brings you here?"

"It seems that Harry Potter has asked Miss Granger to leave Gryffindor and find shelter with Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. I have tried both houses and was told, that while they could be forced to accept Miss Granger, they would never welcome her. It was pointed out that they support Potter and wouldn't accept anyone that didn't, especially a best friend.

"This is just some simple misunderstanding that can be cleared up easily, please have the elves prepare private quarters for the night, and we will resolve this tomorrow when tempers have cooled."

McGonagall left to get Hermione settled in and returned to the headmaster's office.

"Albus, we have a bigger problem than you care to admit. Gryffindor was united in Miss Granger's leaving. Both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff refused to welcome her because they support Potter in his rebellion. The problem is larger than you realize."

"This matter will resolve itself in time. They just need to understand that they aren't in control. In a few days everything will be back to normal, you'll see."

"I hope that you are right, I would hate to see Potter and the students in charge of Hogwarts."

"He won't be, I'm sure of it."

~~oo000oo~~

The next morning, Gryffindor students returned to class and found the same problem they had the day before. Gryffindors received many more detentions that morning than they normally would in a month. Two weeks of detention for having an inch less on an essay and a week of detention for coming into class as the bell rang were examples of unfair treatment.

Harry understood right away that it couldn't be allowed. He stood up on the bench and spoke to the house table.

"It is obvious that we all received an outrageous amount of undeserved detentions again this morning. It is an obvious ploy to punish the members of Gryffindor even further than yesterday. After you finish your lunch, return to the common room, Gryffindor classes are cancelled until further notice." He stepped down, grabbed a sandwich and left for the tower. As Harry suspected most Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students were listening and didn't attend any classes either. Since there were so few students in class, most classes were cancelled entirely, which infuriated the staff.

When it came time for supper, Harry travelled like usual with as many male friends as possible. When he entered the Great Hall he saw a few Gryffindors sitting at the table waiting for the platters of food to be served. The other tables were eating without a problem, but not them. After most of the house had arrived, he ordered them back to the tower once again; he had a plan in case this would happen.

Upon arrival in the common room they found the fires out in the fireplaces and there was no wood to make any more. The room had cooled several degrees and it was uncomfortable without a cloak. Harry got back up on the table that he had used many times before and addressed his housemates.

"As you can see the fight is getting uglier, the headmaster is getting more desperate. I have a backup plan, so don't worry."

"Harry, the water has been turned off as well." Ginny said.

"Elves!" With a long series of pops the elves arrived.

"Master Harry calls his elves?"

"We are having a problem in Gryffindor tower. I would appreciate it very much if you would bring wood for the fires and prepare supper for all of us." The elves were jumping up and down in glee before they popped away. Within moments there were blazing fires again and tables began appearing with food on them. There were sighs of relief around the room as Harry spoke again. "As you can see, we will be well fed and kept warm. We will have to use conjured water from pitchers to get by until later tomorrow morning. I know that this looks bad but we have Dumbledore desperate enough to take extreme actions. I can't tell you how angry this is making me. I guarantee you that I'm going to fight back so hard that he will come to his knees."

With that Harry stepped down and headed to the study in his rooms.

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls for Dobby?"

"I want you to go to the vault and bring me my lordship rings, the master ledger and my dicto-quills." With a pop Dobby was gone and returned with what Harry needed.

The night was spent in his study writing messages to every account he had. He was declaring war against Hogwarts endowment fund, the operating account, and Dumbledore's personal account. If Dumbledore wanted a war, he was going to get one.

Ron had entered a few times to check on him and brought some other Gryffindors to reassure them that Harry was indeed working on a plan. Some of those that Ron let in had other ideas, and raided Harry's underwear for keepsakes. Ron did catch a girl that had one of Harry's Rolexes in her hand and he forcefully threw her out.

~~oo000oo~~

Late in the night, Harry had completed the instructions for his managers and needed to relax. As usual, he went to the tub in the bathroom filled it, undressed, slipped in the water, resting his head on the side of the tub and closed his eyes. Suddenly he sensed someone entering the bath with him. He looked and saw a naked girl that he had never seen before sliding into the water.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! GET OUT OF HERE!"

"I'm here to make you feel good Harry, I love you."

"THE HELL YOU DO!" Harry jumped from the water, grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her from the tub. He dragged her from the bathroom, through his bedroom and pushed her naked out of the portrait door. "AND STAY OUT!"

He was too upset to sleep and after what happened in the bath he was sure that soaking wouldn't help him anymore that night. He lay in his bed with his eyes closed thinking over what might happen next. He got up and went to the study and wrote a letter to Remus, telling him what was happening in Hogwarts, especially about Dumbledore's actions toward the Gryffindors. He called Dobby and had him deliver it to Grimmauld Place so that Remus had it early enough for the morning paper.

Eventually it was the normal time to start the day and Harry hadn't slept a wink, Ron came in with Ginny and provided cover for him to go to the common room to eat the breakfast that the elves had prepared. He called Dobby again and sent him on the way to Gringotts with instructions to give the messages that he prepared to Nearfang for delivery to his managers. When Dobby returned he was sent again with a message to Mr. Terwilliger to buy several tents. He didn't care what style, only that they had functioning showers. Dobby returned with the tents and they were big hits with the house. The fact that many of them were luxurious was beside the point; he was sure that his house mates would have fun with them.

Naturally he called for a boycott of all classes for the day, and there wasn't a single complaint by anyone. Having the food, heat and water stopped by Dumbledore united the house. As long as Harry and his elves were taking care of things then there were no complaints. Everyone was in good cheer when the Daily Prophet was delivered.

_DUMBLEDORE STARVES STUDENTS_

_Headmaster Albus Dumbledore has refused to provide food, water and heat to at least one quarter of the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The students of Gryffindor have requested that Severus Snape, a Death Eater, be removed from the school. The students have made the request repeatedly and finally took action by refusing to attend the Death Eater's classes. As a result, the headmaster has refused to feed those students and removed the wood necessary to keep their tower warm. The students also report that their water supply has been shut off. Even in the face of these hardships, the students have steeled their resolve and refuse to change their position. The majority of the students in the houses of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff have joined in support of removing the Death Eater. There is no word if they are being starved as well._

_Severus Snape escaped Azkaban by a one vote margin in the Wizengamot last week following a very heated debate. At Albus Dumbledore's request he is back teaching our youth once again._

Harry was ecstatic, Remus had printed what Harry wanted to see. He could also see a little influence from Sirius in the article, using the words 'Death Eater' three times sounded like something that Sirius would insist be printed. Harry wished that he could be in the Great Hall to see the howler's heading Dumbledore's way, especially the one from Molly Weasley. Ginny had sent a letter to her mum explaining what was happening, but reading it in print always made it more real for Mrs. Weasley. Harry smiled to himself and felt that buying the Daily Prophet was one of the best things that he had ever done.

The evening came and went, and there was still no sign of Dumbledore. Obviously he wasn't ready to negotiate yet and that was okay with Harry, he could wait it out.

~~oo000oo~~

By late in the afternoon of the third day of the strike, Dumbledore had continued to receive bad economic news from Gringotts. Hogwarts' endowment fund had lost eighty five percent of its value and the operating fund was so low that it couldn't meet payroll. His personal account was reduced to a small pile of galleons sitting in his vault and his investments were all gone. He didn't know how, but he was sure that it was related to his Gryffindor problem, and Harry Potter. He stormed his way to the tower and let himself in to find the room warm and with tables full of food. He didn't know how he did it, but Harry Potter was more resourceful than he thought.

"I want someone to get Harry Potter."

"What if we don't want to?" said a very unhappy seventh year.

"I will not be spoken to like that, you will pay me respect!"

"And if we don't, what are you going to about it, starve us?"

Before the situation got worse Harry came from his rooms to talk with the headmaster.

"What can I do for you Headmaster?" Harry was looking as calm as he could manage.

"Are you responsible for the calamity that has occurred to Hogwarts' and my finances?"

"I was able to ask for a few favors. The Potter name seems to be well regarded. It managed to get your attention." The students watching were shocked to find that Harry had this much clout.

"You are going to destroy Hogwarts. Do you really hate Professor Snape that much?"

"Obviously."

"What is it going to take to stop this financial assault?"

"You have known what to do for a very long time, but in your arrogance, you have refused to do it. I want Snape and Binns out of the castle before nightfall, and I want a full apology in the Daily Prophet for what you have put Gryffindor through. No one that has taken part in this strike is to experience any retribution from you or any of the staff. If I see the apology in tomorrow's Prophet, I'll stop the attack."

"That is outrageous! I won't do it!"

"You don't have a choice, either you get rid of Snape and Binns or you won't have a school." Dumbledore gave Harry the foulest look and stormed from the room.

"Can I get volunteers to watch the Entry to see if Snape leaves?"

"We'll do it…"

"…the thought…"

"…of Snape leaving…"

"…makes us all…"

"…tingly inside."

"I'll go along too, maybe I can take a few photos." Colin said eagerly.

"Thanks guys, I appreciate it."

Less than three hours later, the twins and Colin were back with big grins on their faces. A party broke out and lasted most of the night. Fred and George circulated a petition about having Harry's balls bronzed and hung over the fireplace. Harry laughed until he saw that nearly everyone had signed. The party was a good one but the girls had picked up on Harry's wealth again and were all over him once more. Before long, he had Ron and Neville cover for him while he made his escape back to his rooms. Having not slept the night before, Harry was exhausted, he checked under the bed and all the other possible hiding places for another girl and reassured himself that it was clear. Once again he soaked for awhile before he went to bed. He had another nightmare, this time it was about Cedric dying and blaming Harry for his death. Harry woke up with a start and lay there for the longest time before he went back to sleep.

~~oo000oo~~

_DUMBLEDORE APOLOGIZES_

_Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, gave the Daily Prophet a statement regarding the actions that he had taken against his Gryffindor students._

"_I deeply regret my actions of withholding food, heat and water from the students of Gryffindor. It was wrong of me, and I can only ask for forgiveness in this matter."_

The students at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall were high-fiving each other throughout breakfast, much to the disgust of the staff.

~~oo000oo~~

Dumbledore was angry, even more than angry, he was livid. To have his authority ruined by a student and made to grovel in the Daily Prophet was more than he could handle. Severus and Cuthbert Binns were removed from the castle and Hogwarts' finances were destroyed. He had an immediate problem of finding replacement teachers and didn't know how to pay them. He thought that seventh year potion students could teach the younger classes while he filled in for the upper years. That would work temporarily, he thought, but how could he handle history? There were so few NEWT students in the upper years, only three to be exact, and they turned him down for help teaching. They had supported Potter and weren't eager to help the headmaster. History classes would just have to be cancelled for a while until someone could be found. Maybe he would have to place an ad in the Daily Prophet, but after printing Harry's side of the events, he wasn't too keen in dealing with the paper again. He didn't know what he was going to do about Remus Lupin, but he would think of something.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry was still groggy for his morning classes when they resumed. He got warm receptions from all the students that he met, but the professors were the opposite. The teachers were exceedingly polite, but it was easy to see that it was forced. His scores were A's instead of E's and O's. Harry really didn't care about his scores, he came here to learn magic and low scores wouldn't affect that. It wasn't like he needed high scores to get a job; he was going into the family business of fleecing crooks, it was much more fun and far more lucrative.

~~oo000oo~~

Hermione returned to Gryffindor that afternoon. No one said a word against her, but then again, no one said a word to her either. She was hurt and upset about how things turned out. Sure she was glad that Professor Snape was gone, but the way it was done was so rude. There had to be a better way that didn't upset so many people. Why couldn't they see things her way? No one but the professors talked to her anymore. It was just like in primary school, no one liked her except for the adults.

~~oo000oo~~

"You think yourself smart, do you, Potter?" Draco once again couldn't keep his mouth shut and confronted Harry, who was with Fred and George on their way to supper. "You think that you can get my godfather thrown out of the castle like you own the place. You wait until my father gets back, Professor Snape will be back, and you will get what's coming to you."

"Blah, blah, blah, my father, blah, blah, blah; why don't you get some new material, Malfoy, I have heard the same drivel since first year." Harry replied

"I say, Gred, what say you to 'Babbling Nougat'?

"Quite right, Forge, guaranteed to improve speech or your money back."

"Only problem is…"

"…that no one can…"

"…understand a word…"

"…the ferret says…"

"…but that would be…"

"…a huge improvement."

"Just you wait… I'll have the last laugh. You will never know what hits you." Draco wasn't as angry as usual, and he had a slight smirk on his face.

"By the way, Draco, has your father found gold yet? My sources tell me that he has until Monday to pay off his loans and he hasn't been able to negotiate an extension. Unless he finds gold, you will be broke by Monday night."

"You can't scare me, my father has things well in hand. He IS a Malfoy after all."

"Just keep telling yourself that. Maybe you can begin to believe it. Now if you don't mind, I'm looking forward to my supper." Harry and the twins walked on toward the Great Hall while discussing the upcoming foreclosure of Malfoy.

~~oo000oo~~

"It seems that you have failed me Severus, you have been outsmarted by a mere schoolboy and driven from Hogwarts. What use are you to me now?

"I regret that I have displeased you, My Lord. How may I make it up to you?"

"I want you to stand guard for me and kill anyone that dares to think of collecting Potter's insulting bounty."

"As you wish, My Lord."

~~oo000oo~~

That evening in Gryffindor tower, everyone was in good cheer, people were celebrating the school going back to normal, but without Snape. There was a lot of laughter and high spirits. Hermione, on the other hand, was sitting alone at a study table buried in her books. She had seen Ron and Harry motion for her to join them, but she continued to ignore them.

~~oo000oo~~

It was Saturday morning and Harry had another fitful night of sleep plagued by another nightmare. He joined the other fifth year Gryffindor boys on the way to breakfast. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan were with Ron and Neville this morning and there was a lot of joking and gentle teasing going on. Harry was in a good mood when he walked into the Great Hall and noticed something amiss. There were open mouthed stares from the guys and unmitigated lust from the girls.

On each plate was a plain envelope waiting for each student. Harry sat in his usual place surrounded by the boys he came with; Ginny and Hermione were sitting close as well. Harry opened the envelope and his heart stopped, here were pictures from his day at Witch Weekly. Not just one, but four, each one worse than the one before. The first picture showed him in the conference room, naked, with his eyes closed. He was surrounded by several people who were looking at him closely. The next picture was a closer shot showing his nether region being carefully compared to Witch Weekly's published photo. The third shot showed his member being held by a woman while she carefully examined him. Harry remembered thinking of Snape and the Dursleys, trying not to get excited, but he was only partially successful. And the last photo was the worst; it was an extreme close up of his partially excited member being held by a woman's hand. There was detail that Harry had never seen before. Even worse, they were all wizarding photos and they moved.

"Harry, why did you take these photos, mate?" Ron was his usual sensitive self.

Harry was in shock, his vision started to narrow and he couldn't make out the sounds around him; he thought that he had bought them all.

Neville looked around to find Malfoy and the Slytherins laughing uproariously and pointing at Harry. Neville noticed that the girls were heading their way; he grabbed Harry's left arm and started to pull.

"Quick, Ron, take that side, and let's get him out of here!" Ron and Neville were able to get Harry to his feet and moving while Dean and Seamus pushed through the crowd in front. There were hands everywhere and Ron and Neville lost grip on Harry a few times trying to hustle him out of the hall. The girls managed to rip the robes from him and tore his shirt before Harry could reach the door. Harry started to come out of his shock when there was fumbling for his belt buckle, he knew that he was under attack and needed to do something. He looked to the head table and saw no help coming his way. Like at the train station he felt himself being lifted from the ground while clawing hands tore at his clothes. He had lost his shirt and his tie was choking him, he couldn't breathe. He nearly passed out before he managed to get free of his tie when he felt his pants ripped from his body. There were fingernails scratching at him from all directions. The boys managed to get him on the ground again and they made a run for it. Harry was in the lead with the other four guarding him from behind. They made it upstairs and passed the Fat Lady's portrait; Ron gave the password to Alexander in a voice a little louder than he should have and he was overheard. The five boys made it into Harry's rooms and closed the portrait behind them.

"Mate, I'm sure glad that it is you and not me," Ron said.

"Merlin, Harry, those girls are worse than any group of guys I have ever met." Seamus commiserated while catching his breath.

"I could use a little more attention, but that was unbelievable," Dean chimed in.

"I never thought that anyone could be that vicious. I think that I may be afraid of girls for the rest of my life," said Neville.

Harry was standing in front of the mirror in his room checking himself for injuries. He had several scratches and what was sure to become bruises on his body. There was redness and chaffing around his neck where his tie nearly choked him. "I want to thank you for what you did. I would have been torn to shreds and possibly killed if not for the four of you. I don't know how to repay you, but if you ever need anything, it's yours."

"Harry, you're bleeding from a scratch on your bum." Ron pointed out. "Does anyone know how to heal this?"

"I have helped me mum before, do you want me to try?" Seamus asked.

"Please, I can't make it to see Madam Pomfrey, and I don't know what kind of reception that I would receive if I did."

"Turn around Harry… 'Episkey'," Seamus cast the spell and the wound closed up. "Are there any other open wounds?" The other boys checked and didn't see any.

"If you guys will excuse me, I'm going to take a quick shower and get dressed." Within fifteen minutes Harry was showered and dressed in his sweat clothes.

"Harry, what about those photos that we saw?" asked Ron.

After saving his life, he owed them an explanation if they wanted it.

"You all know that I went to Witch Weekly the day after my nude photos were printed." There were nods. "I threatened them with legal action, but what I really wanted was an apology printed that would tell everyone that the photos were stolen and printed without permission." Ron knew better but didn't say anything. "We were about to begin drafting the text of the apology, when it was brought up that I could be an imposter, wearing a powerful Glamour charm. Rita Skeeter had been making headlines for weeks that I was being impersonated and they said that they were concerned.

"I made sure that they were aware that I had been with them for more than an hour, so I couldn't be using Polyjuice potion. I asked what kind of proof that would work and was told that I should be compared to the photos they had already published. I took off my shirt and turned around but they were not convinced, saying that many young men look the same from the waist up. I knew what they were hinting at and after being fully exposed for the entire world to see, I felt that I didn't have a lot to lose. So I undressed and stood there with my eyes closed, pretending that it wasn't happening. A woman said that a Glamour charm could fool the eye but not the touch. I stood there thinking of Snape and my relatives, trying not to get excited, of course the more I tried not to think about it the more I thought about it.

"Like a fool, I didn't think about them taking photos; the thought never crossed my mind. Afterward I got dressed, worked on the language of the apology and left. It was only later that it was pointed out that there might have been photos taken while my eyes were shut. I sent someone to buy the photos regardless of the cost, even if it meant buying the entire magazine. I ended up buying Witch Weekly and was told that I had all the photos except for one, whose negative was said to have been destroyed. Obviously, there were more."

"I don't know how you get yourself into these messes, Harry, but this one is a beauty," Ron stated the obvious.

"I don't know what to tell you, mate. I don't know how this one is going to blow over, it looks pretty bad to me," Neville added.

"Thanks again, to all of you. I don't know what I'm going to do. For now I'm going to stay here in my rooms and try not to think about it."

"Anyone care for a game of chess?"Ron asked. They stayed through the lunch that the elves served. By mid-afternoon after coming down from the adrenalin rush, Harry yawned, and his friends decided to leave, so that Harry could have a nap.

As the boys left through the portrait opening, there were a group of girls counting how many boys were left. Romilda Vane and Theresa Adamson had scores to settle, neither liked the embarrassment they received for what they had done. They blamed Harry for their mistakes and wanted to get even. There were another ten girls that were just looking to get their hands on Harry and have a good time.

Inside the suite, Harry was beginning to feel some aches and thought a relaxing soak to soothe them away was a good idea. He went to the bathroom and started the water filling the bathtub while he undressed waiting to get in. The girls had used the password and found the room empty and heard water running from the bath. They sneaked in, pushed the door open a crack and Adamson fired a silent stunner.


	17. Chapter 17

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Author's note: I warned you in the intro to chapter 1 that chapter 17 wasn't family friendly. Some of you might want to skim over it.

* * *

Extensive Author's Note:

I hate extensive author's notes but I am going to make an exception to thank those of you who left a review trying to help me with my problem. I really appreciate it and I have taken it to heart.

All of you have been generous in saying that I am a good writer. It's hard to believe that, but it is nice to hear. I wrote this story for my own enjoyment, but I wasn't sure if it was good enough to publish. My wife and son read it and encouraged me to let other people read it and learn from what all of you have to say. It has been very gratifying to know that it is being enjoyed by those who have read it. I only wish that the story could be seen by more people, but if it is not, then that is the way that it will have to be.

I need to give some credit to my son in college. I think of him as a comma nazi. He also helped me with some grammatical mistakes. The plot and story lines are mine, but he helped to make the story much better to read.

To respond to Half Alien, I don't take your comments as a flame, but I would like to respond anyway. I didn't intend for this fic to be a crack fic and I'm sorry that it may come off that way. I just had so much fun embarrassing Harry, that I may have over done it a little. I see Harry as being a shy, naïve, and clueless teenager that doesn't fully understand the ramifications of his actions and I exploited this aspect of his character. Having Sirius tease him is just the kind of thing that I see Sirius doing, he loves to embarrass Harry as much as I do. As for Harry being attacked, stripped, groped, etc.; think of the teen idols that are mobbed on the streets by teeny boppers and groupies. I've read many accounts of this behavior from interviews of former idols and rock stars. I think that with Harry's wealth, photos and the whole boy-who-lived thing, that he would be idolized by the teenage girls of Hogwarts. The last chapters that you've read, plus those to come, get more serious and sadly don't have as much humor as they did up to this point. This chapter especially doesn't have any humor at all. I intend for the ramifications of his earlier actions to come home to roost. Thank you for your comments and kind words, and I appreciate the opportunity to make these explanations.

I appreciate what the others of you have said, especially the long and helpful comments from carick of the hunter moon. I would like to thank each of the rest of you individually, but, as I have said, I dislike long author's notes. Thank each of you for taking the time to post your reviews and comments.

* * *

Chapter 17

Hermione had returned late from supper and was still contemplating her plight when she decided that she needed to discuss her so-called authority complex. She was ready to admit that she could have a problem and she needed to discuss it with Harry. Deciding that now was a good time, she went to the portrait and entered his rooms. She could see his bed surrounded by girls laughing and jeering. She could see a bare foot and wrist, tied to the posts of his bed. She could think of only one thing that could be happening. Twelve to one odds were not in her favor so she followed her instincts and ran for Professor McGonagall. After knocking on the door steadily, McGonagall opened her door.

"Miss Granger, must you make such a racket. I was coming to let you in."

"Professor, you must come quickly, Harry is being attacked by a group of girls."

"That seems to be a frequent state of affairs for him, and after those photos I can see why."

"But Professor, he is tied to his bed and a dozen girls are torturing him. You must come save him."

"Alright, let me get my wand." The trip to the tower was not at the pace that Hermione liked but McGonagall wouldn't move any faster. McGonagall and Hermione entered the common room then opened the portrait to Harry's rooms. McGonagall's presence and Hermione's excitement gathered the attention of the fifth year boys and others lounging or doing homework, and most of those in the common room followed behind them. The scene was the same as when she had left it, if anything the laughter and excitement was even greater.

"Move away from the bed!" McGonagall ordered. All but Romilda Vane complied, she continued stroking Harry until he grunted and shot a stream of his juices on his chest. "What is the meaning of this?!"

Harry was gagged and covered in streams of sweat. He was rubbed raw and bleeding; His body was covered with bruises and abrasions. His wrists and ankles had rope burns that were bleeding.

"Mr. Weasley fetch Madam Pomfrey and tell her that a student is injured. Mr. Thomas, please inform the headmaster, the password is 'Mars Bars'" McGonagall ordered. Hermione reached for Harry's gag and started to remove it. "Stop, Miss Granger, you are tampering with evidence of a possible crime. We must preserve the scene as we found it." Hermione then found his sweat shirt and tried to at least cover his modesty. He was exposed as much as anyone could be and the room had filled with onlookers. "Miss Granger, stop what you are doing. I told you we must leave things as they are."

"But surely protecting his modesty is important," Hermione complained.

"We mustn't change the scene in anyway. Besides, everyone has already seen what there is to see."

Colin Creevey pushed his way through the crowd and took a photo. "Colin! Stop that. Have some respect for Harry." Hermione cried.

"On the contrary, please continue, Mr. Creevey, photographic evidence is important in a case like this."

Hermione could hardly believe what she was hearing and seeing. Harry was in desperate shape and nothing was being done. How could Professor McGonagall have so little regard for Harry's plight. It seemed that she was going out of her way to make the situation worse. The girls were standing to the side and knew that they were in trouble, they hoped that they could find a way out from the blame.

It took at least twenty minutes for Madam Pomfrey to arrive and then another few minutes for the headmaster.

Dumbledore looked over the situation, then turned toward the girls that had done this and asked. "Was this consensual?" There were nodding heads from all the girls; they had found their way out of their problem.

"WHAT! HARRY HAS BEEN ATTACKED! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!

"Calm yourself, Miss Granger, it seems that there is agreement among the group that this activity, although distasteful, is nothing more than a game played by Mr. Potter for his own perverse enjoyment.

"PERVERSE ENJOYMENT?! Harry isn't perverse and definitely didn't ask for this to happen, look at his injuries!" Hermione was livid, she thought the professors had lost their minds.

"Perverse? I think that Mr. Potter's perversity was proven this morning by the photos that we saw." McGonagall added her opinion.

Madam Pomfrey was working to remove the ropes tying him to the bed and then the gag. The entire time he was left exposed for all to see. Harry for his part was in shock and non-responsive. He wasn't responding to Madam Pomfrey's questions or the light shaking that she was doing.

"I'm afraid that Mr. Potter will need to be moved to the infirmary for me to treat his injuries." The medi-witch said.

"You can't do that, he will be attacked again!" This time the fifth year boys as well as Hermione protested.

"I believe that it is in the purview of the school's medi-witch to make that judgment." Dumbledore spoke with authority in his voice.

Dumbledore conjured a stretcher while Madam Pomfrey levitated him onto it. Harry was badly shivering and he was still exposed, nothing was done to help keep him warm.

"Aren't you going to cover him, he could catch pneumonia!" Hermione was still not giving an inch.

"I believe that I told you that our resident medi-witch knows best in this instance." Dumbledore responded.

"You are just trying to harm Harry further because of what he did to Professor Snape and you. You are getting your revenge on him!" There were a lot of nodding heads agreeing with what Hermione had said.

"I don't think that you are thinking rationally, we are going to do everything that we can to help Mr. Potter recover from his most unfortunate game." With that, McGonagall, Pomfrey and Dumbledore moved Harry through the crowd leading their way to the hospital wing.

"We have to do something! We can't let them take care of Harry, he might die!" Hermione was still enraged. "Do any of you know how we can contact the DMLE?"

The twins spoke up. "We could use…"

"…McGonagall's floo…"

"…but they might not…"

"…believe us, because…"

"…of who we are."

Neville spoke up. "Hermione, you need to go with Fred and George, you can explain things better than we can. The rest of us will follow Harry and keep them busy until help arrives." With a plan in mind, everyone left on their tasks. The fifth year boys along with Ginny arrived in the infirmary in time to see a severely shivering Harry transferred to a hospital bed. McGonagall, Pomfrey and Dumbledore were still together. The boys and Ginny had decided to keep them there as long as possible.

"What are you going to do for Harry? He is shivering and is in shock, he needs to be kept warm!" Neville began.

"I have already explained several times, Mr. Longbottom, Madam Pomfrey is in charge, and she will follow standard procedure in this case. At this time she is still assessing Mr. Potter's injuries, once that is complete, she will make an assessment and then start treatment. It may take a few minutes for procedures to progress in a timely fashion."

"But Harry is in a very bad way. A few more minutes may make a lot of difference to how he recovers."

"Do you have medical certification, Mr. Longbottom? You need to leave these decisions to a professional."

Dumbledore was not going to provide the care that Harry needed, and the boys and Ginny knew that, they whispered amongst themselves and pulled their wands.

"Cover Harry with blankets, now!" Ron ordered.

Dumbledore pulled his wand and cast an area wide stunning spell just as the infirmary doors flew open to allow Minister Bones, six aurors along with Hermione and the twins to enter.

"Why did you just stun these young people?"

"They pulled their wands on us and were threatening to use them."

"Why were they threatening you?"

"It seems that they didn't like the procedure that Madam Pomfrey was engaged in, and wanted to dictate the treatment of Mr. Potter."

Minister Bones shifted her attention to a violently shivering nude and injured Harry Potter, she instantly saw the rope burns and the redness around the neck, and no one could miss the injuries to his groin. It looked like he was in shock and non-responsive, but she tried to speak to him regardless."

"Harry, this is Minister Bones, can you hear me?"

"Cold… hurts… help me," she clearly heard although the voice was feeble.

"Why is he uncovered like this? Auror MacMillan, use the blankets from another bed to cover him and cast a warming charm on him. Auror Jeffries, revive those students." She was beginning to believe what Hermione Granger had been telling her. "MacMillan and Jeffries, take the patient to St Mungos and stand guard until I get there."

"Surely, Amelia, that isn't necessary, we have a fully qualified medi-witch to provide specialized treatment." Dumbledore was trying to contain the problem.

"I just witnessed the special care that your medi-witch provided and I intend to have her license reviewed. Leaving Mr. Potter untreated is unconscionable." Amelia Bones was getting upset.

"I think that is a bit extreme, Madam Pomfrey was following standard procedure in cases like this."

"We will see about that at her hearing. I'll make sure that Mr. Potter receives the best care possible. Now I want to see the scene of the crime."

"I will be happy to show you to his room, but I'm sure that you are mistaken about there being a crime. His injuries are a result of a perverse sexual game that he was playing. There are numerous witnesses that will testify to that fact."

"I'll be the judge of that. I believe that we could be talking of rape and possible line theft. Now I want to see where this happened."

The walk to Gryffindor tower was tense. Dumbledore kept trying to classify the act as being the result of perverse sexual interests, and tried to use the photos from this morning as evidence in his arguments.

"What photos are you talking about? I want to see them!"

"Madam Minister, I'm Ron Weasley, and Harry explained the origins of those photos to me earlier. There is a perfectly logical explanation for them. You need to talk to Harry before you make up your mind."

"Thank you, Mr. Weasley, I intend to do just that."

The bedroom was how it was. The bed was torn apart and there was blood and the smell of sweat and male sexual activity. It was as Hermione had described it, and supported the theory that Harry had been attacked. The minister and the four remaining aurors interviewed the twelve girls involved. After prodding, the stories corroborated and it was not the conclusion that Dumbledore tried to convey. Amelia gave Dumbledore the results of her preliminary investigation.

"The girl's testimonies were consistent, Harry Potter was sexually assaulted, but thankfully, no line theft was attempted. Each time they manually brought Mr. Potter to climax, they cheered that some rumor was wrong and that it was proof that he liked girls better than boys. I also intend to find out where that rumor got started. Third year Romilda Vane was the instigator along with seventh year Theresa Adamson. The others were accomplices and will have a lighter sentence. Miss Vane is underage and will be taken to the Ministry to meet with her parents. The least that will happen is that she will be expelled and possibly have her wand snapped. Miss Adamson is seventeen and will be tried as an adult for the charges of sexual assault."

"Amelia, I can't believe that this is true. In a few days, Mr. Potter will recover and there will be no harm done."

"I can't believe that you just said that! If I find that you had any part in allowing those photos to be distributed, or failed to protect Mr. Potter, I will have you up on charges of being an accomplice to assault. It is deplorable the way that you run this school. I'm considering having an investigation into your actions toward the students of Gryffindor. Anything that you tell me can be used as evidence against you; I advise you to speak carefully."

"As you wish, I'm sure that all allegations will prove to be false. I'm innocent of what I have been accused."

"If that is all you have for me, headmaster, then I'll be on my way to visit a severely injured young man."

~~oo000oo~~

Harry lay in a warm hospital bed. He wasn't quite sure where he was but it wasn't in the Hogwarts infirmary. He was still in pain, he hurt all over, but especially his member and jewels. He couldn't remember them ever hurting this much before, even when Dudley kicked him there several times for his amusement. The door opened and a man resembling a healer entered.

"You're awake I see. I'm healer Montgomery, I was here when you were brought in. You were in a pretty sorry state. Minister Bones has been asking to see you as soon as you woke; do you feel up to talking?

"Could I have some water?" The healer handed him a glass and a straw and he took a big drink. "I'm kind of tired, but I can talk for awhile. How long have I been here?"

"You were brought in last night, it is about noon on Sunday now."

"Am I going to be alright? It hurts a lot."

"Given time you will be just fine. Due to the tenderness of a very sensitive area full of nerve endings that we don't want to damage, it is best that we take a slow measured approach to your healing. We don't want to do anything that will permanently affect the sensitivity. I'm sorry, but it is going to hurt for awhile I'm afraid. We have some cream that will take down the swelling but we have waited for you to apply it. You know where it hurts and can be more careful."

"Thank you for all that you've done. I appreciate everything that you are doing for me. Before I go back to sleep, can I see Minister Bones?"

"I'll let her in." Healer Montgomery stepped from the room and the minister entered.

"Hello, Mr. Potter, I'm glad to see that you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"It hurts a lot, but the healer said that I will make a full recovery in time."

"That's good to hear. Do you have some time for questions? I should let the DMLE handle these things, but I have too many years behind a badge for me to give it up completely."

"I understand. I hope that you have been making the transition into the Minister's office alright."

"It has been very interesting, I don't enjoy politics but I'm getting by. Can you tell me what happened yesterday?"

Harry explained about the photos at breakfast and their origins; then about the attack while leaving the Great Hall. He told her that the staff just sat watching without doing anything. He explained that the last thing that he remembered was getting ready for a bath. The next thing he remembered was being tied in bed. He couldn't continue to speak of it after that.

"Minister Bones?"

"It's Amelia to you."

"Only if you call me Harry... I'm wondering where I go from here, I don't know that it will ever be safe for me at Hogwarts. But I can't leave until I have my OWLs."

"What would you like to do? I can give you a special dispensation to leave without OWLs if you would like, but what would you do then?"

"That's just it, I don't know. I enjoyed myself over the summer but I don't know if I can live that way for a long period of time. I want to stay with my friends but I can't take the attacks."

"What about if you have fulltime guards; I can assign two aurors for your protection until the end of the school year, and then we can reevaluate."

"What about the aurors wanting to look for the bounties for Death Eater's, won't they resent being on guard duty and miss out on getting a possible bounty?"

"That is a consideration, but they will go where I tell them to go."

"What if I hire them? Maybe you could put them on leave or something and then I can hire them for maybe fifteen or twenty thousand galleons. Then they would be happier. What do you think?"

"How about I put them on leave, and you negotiate whatever you would like? Do you have any preference about who you would like?"

"I have met auror Tonks and like her. If she is willing that would be great, I don't care about the second choice."

"Let me talk to her and let you know."

"Is there anything else?"

"How many Death Eaters have been caught, and has there been any word on Voldemort?"

"We have caught or killed thirty two. They have told us that Voldemort is paranoid and very nervous; he is torturing his followers for even looking at him. I can almost picture it… it does my heart good." Amelia was smiling broadly. Harry was smiling as well.

"Amelia, I have reliable information that Voldemort's inner circle is going to be bankrupted tomorrow. I don't know that you are aware, but they combined all their assets and bought a jungle in Africa where they think that I found gold. Their search for gold in Africa hasn't worked out. Each Death Eater has millions of galleons of debts that come due tomorrow, and they have no way to pay it off or get an extension. Malfoy, Nott and others are not only going to be broke, they are going to be so far in debt that they will never get out. Anything that they will ever receive or earn will be confiscated by the goblins."

"That is remarkable news, why am I only hearing about it now?"

"Nobody has been told. What do you think would happen to me if it was known that my gold discovery was faked?"

"Faked?"

"The gold was real, it just didn't come from that jungle in Africa; the Death Eaters just think it did."

"Why do I think that there is more to the story than that?"

"I do know more, but I can't betray confidences."

"Someday I hope to hear the rest."

"As a result of their losing everything they own, they are going to be hungry for gold. Voldemort won't have the gold needed to finance his war. His recruitment will be nonexistent, and those that follow him will be desperate."

"You're right, the ramifications of this are staggering. I'm going to have to think about this… it's astounding. Do you have any other surprises?"

"I'm going to offer debt forgiveness and five million galleon reward for the death or capture of Voldemort. I'm hoping that one of the inner circle will be so desperate that they will see Voldemort's demise as a good thing."

"Harry, I like the way you think. Is there anything that I can help you with?"

"Not that I can think of, I'll let you know if I think of something. The auror guards will be more than enough... wait, I did think of something… do you know someone that can cast a Fidelius charm for me? I would like to take a tent to Hogwarts but I don't want McGonagall or Dumbledore to find it. If I can have a Fidelius cast on a store room then the idea should work."

"Let me see what I can do. If nothing else, someone from the Department of Mysteries can help."

"Thanks. That would be great."

"You are looking a little tired, I'll let you rest. I'll be in touch with what we have discussed." Amelia left Harry alone to think.

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry, are yous alright? Us elveses are so worried. Master Harry didn't call for help and such bad things happened to Master Harry."

"It's okay, Dobby, next time something like that happens you have my permission to do whatever you want," said Harry, hoping there would never be a next time.

"Thank yous, Master Harry, wees sorry that wees couldn't help."

"Dobby, I want you to take a message to my friends."

~~oo000oo~~

Sunday afternoon saw Hermione sitting with all of Harry's other friends, and they had been discussing Harry's ordeal.

"Ron, I owe you and Harry a very big apology. In my blindness for authority it never occurred to me that our professors could act the way that they did. What happened to Harry was totally their fault. The photos should never have been allowed on the tables, and they should have stopped the attack leaving the Great Hall. For what they did when they found Harry, they should be brought up on charges. I understand what Harry has been trying to tell me, I have trusted adults too much, and it has taken Harry getting hurt for me to realize it."

"I'm sorry that you had to find out that way, Hermione. I can only imagine how hard it is to have your viewpoint shattered like that." Ron consoled.

"Has anyone heard how Harry is doing?" asked Dean.

"Not a word yet. I hope that he is going to be okay. He didn't look very good when he left."

"Minister Bones was going to see to his care, I trust her to take care of him," said Hermione. "There I go again, trusting an adult blindly." She looked down dejectedly.

"I think you're right this time, I trust her to take care of him. Minister Bones is a good person." Ginny added.

With a pop Dobby appeared. "Master Harry has sent Dobby to tell Master Harry's friendses that Master Harry will bees alright. Master Harry tells Dobby that it may takes a long time, but Master Harry will be fine."

"Thank you, Dobby, will you tell Harry that we are all worried about him and want to see him get well as soon as possible?" Hermione said. With another pop he was gone. "At least we know that much, I feel better now." There was a lot of agreement to her statement.

"Does anyone have an idea of what is going to happen to Harry now? He isn't safe at Hogwarts and he doesn't have his OWLs yet, so he can't leave." Ginny asked.

"I don't know, do you think that we can gather a few more of us and stay close to him so he is never alone?" Hermione responded.

"It took four of us in the Great Hall, and he was still nearly killed. Just how many of us will it take next time?

~~oo000oo~~

Harry was dozing in his room when an auror opened the door.

"Mr. Potter, there is a man named Remus Lupin here to see you, he says that he's a friend."

"Yes, he is, please let him in." The guard left and let Remus in.

"Cub! What have you done now?"

"It wasn't me this time. Do you remember those photos that Witch Weekly sold you? Well, they missed four; they were very graphic and they were given to everyone at breakfast yesterday. The results were that I was nearly killed trying to leave the Great Hall. If it weren't for four of my friends, I would have been. I might add that the faculty watched the whole thing happen and did nothing."

"I'm sorry, Harry, I swear I thought that we had them all. Do you think that Abigail Watkins is behind any of this?"

"I don't know. Would you take care of it for me? I trust your judgment. If she needs to be fired, then it is your call."

"I can do that, it is the least that I can do for missing those photos. Just how bad are they?" Harry went on to describe each of them.

"You can imagine what the girls thought. It looks like I'm perverted and kinky and they must like that."

"What happened next?"

"After getting free from my attackers I was naked and running for my life back to my rooms in Gryffindor. The guys were behind me fending them off. We made it into the suite and got the portrait shut. Seamus had to close a wound that I had on my bum. There were a lot of other injuries that were less severe but I managed to live with them. I spent the next few hours with the guys, talking and playing games before they left and I was going to nap for awhile. I remember I was in the bathroom filling the tub, and then woke up tied to my bed and gagged. I tried to break free but the ropes were too tight. The girls…"

"You don't have to tell me. I get the picture."

"I remember that I cried and tried to scream and it only encouraged them... they would… they would use their hands until I… and then laugh and start again. I don't know how long I was there, I only remember the first four times, after that I must have been in shock. It seemed like an eternity. I woke up here not long ago."

"Four times, Harry? That is incredible in itself, Cub. How bad were you injured?"

Since everyone in the world has seen him and he didn't have an ounce of privacy left, Harry flipped back the covers and showed Remus. "There were many other injuries less severe that the healers healed for me. With this one it is best to let it heal naturally, to avoid nerve damage and loss of sensitivity. It hurts a lot, but I'm going to be fine."

"What is going to happen to the ones that did this to you?"

"I don't know, I forgot to ask Amelia when she was here."

"'Amelia' is it? You are on a first name basis with the Minister for Magic?"

"Yeah, we seem to get along really well."

"What do you want published about this attack? It can't be ignored without showing the Daily Prophet is biased in your favor."

"I'll leave that up to you. You know what happened and I trust you to do the right thing. That reminds me, I need you to publish something else in the Daily Prophet for me."

"What's that?"

"Tomorrow the inner circle Death Eaters are going to be bankrupt. They haven't found gold in that worthless jungle in Africa, and they each have millions of galleons of loans that they have no way of extending. After the fact, it would be nice to have that information printed in the paper. You can put reporters on the job to get the details, but the goblins are going to repossess everything except the clothes on their backs. By tomorrow night, the Malfoys, Notts and others are going to be living on the streets."

"That should be good for a few days worth of news. Is there anything else?"

"Yeah, I'm going to raise the bounty on Voldemort to five million galleons plus payoff any debts to whoever brings Voldemort to justice. That should strike terror through Voldemort knowing that his inner circle will be willing to do anything to recover even part of their wealth."

"That is a tall order, are you sure that you can afford to do all this?"

"No problem, there is a lot left. I can do what I have done several times and still be okay."

"Glad to hear it. Is there anything else that I can do?

"Would you tell Sirius for me? I know how he worries and I don't want him to take a chance of coming to see me. If everything works out, I'll be able to visit him through the mirrors when I get back to Hogwarts."

"I'll do all I can, but you know how Sirius is."

"I know, that is what I'm worried about. Remus?"

"Yeah, Cub?"

"Has there been any word about Pettigrew?"

"He hasn't been killed or captured and I haven't heard anything about him."

"Do you think that it would work to give a higher bounty for him? We could get Sirius cleared sooner if we had him in custody."

"It might work better if a Death Eater would get a break from punishment by the Ministry. A high bounty on his head and a short sentence for his captor should definitely help."

"I'll speak with Amelia. I'll see if I can arrange it and let you know."

"Let me know if there is anything else that I can do."

"Would you please send an auror in when you leave?"

Harry gave a message to the auror that he would like to talk to the Minister when she was available and went back to sleep.

~~oo000oo~~

Monday morning came and Healer Montgomery was taking a close look at Harry's injuries.

"Things are progressing according to expectations, with frequent applications of the anti-swelling cream you should be able be able to deal with the problem yourself. There isn't much more for us to do for you. You will simply have to give it time. You probably want to limit your walking for a while but you should be able to manage on your own. If you don't want to leave, that is fine, but you are free to go whenever you like."

"Thank you. I appreciate all that you have done. I still need some time to make arrangements for security before I can return to Hogwarts."

"Take all the time that you need."

~~oo000oo~~

"Harry, I heard that you wanted to see me? Sorry that I couldn't come sooner, but I got tied up with boring old Minister stuff." Amelia was giving him a big smile.

"I'm sorry that I interrupted. What I wanted to ask you could have waited."

"It is alright, I wanted to see you anyway. Aurors Nymphadora Tonks and Allison Jefferies have agreed to help you, I told them that you wanted to negotiate payment but didn't tell them what you said. We still have to work out where they are going to stay while at Hogwarts. I also have someone from the Department of Mysteries that will help you with a Fidelius charm.

"That is great news about both things. I bought several magical tents when Gryffindor was at siege with the headmaster, would one of them, set up in my rooms, work for the aurors?"

"Do they have full facilities?"

"There are several luxury models, I'm sure that there is at least one that they will like. I intend to be in one tent behind a Fidelius, and they can be in another tent in another part of the suite."

"I think that should work out for everyone's needs. When do you want to go?"

"I was told this morning that I can leave at any time. So as soon as arrangements can be made with the aurors and the man that is going to do the Fidelius for me, I'm ready."

"How about I coordinate with them and set something up for tomorrow morning. I think that it would be best if I went along to mitigate any problems with Dumbledore. Now what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I have been wondering about the dark mark and how it works. I know that Voldemort can send messages to his Death Eaters, but I don't know if anything can be sent back. Basically, I would like to get more information about it. I don't know if the ministry has anything or would like to share it if they did, but I want to know more. I was thinking of offering money for anyone that can provide what I need."

"I don't know the answer to your question. To my knowledge, not a lot is known about the dark mark. I can ask the Department of Mysteries to see if they have anything, but I don't have any objections to you using whatever means you wish to gather information."

"That is good to know. I'll figure out how to handle payment for what I want. The next thing that I want to talk to you about is Sirius Black."

"I don't think that you have to worry about him, he hasn't been seen for months and it is likely that he is out of the country."

"Sirius Black is my godfather, and he is innocent. His ex-friend Peter Pettigrew framed him for his crimes. Pettigrew is still alive and working with Voldemort."

"How do you know this?"

"Ron, Hermione, and I met Pettigrew and Black a year and a half ago. It is a long story but Pettigrew escaped and Fudge covered up the whole affair."

"Without Pettigrew it is going to be very difficult to prove that Black is innocent."

"That is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. I want to put a five hundred thousand galleon reward for capturing Pettigrew alive. I want to know what you think about giving the person that brings him in a reduced sentence. If it is a Death Eater, maybe they could be free in a shorter period of time."

"You are sure that Pettigrew is alive?"

"I'm positive, I saw him in the graveyard last June. He is the one that killed Cedric Diggory."

"Let me think about what I consider appropriate for punishment. I can't see an inner circle Death Eater being let go after only a year. The punishment will have to be measured in some way."

"That is your decision, I won't tell you how to do your job. I just want to see my godfather freed."


	18. Chapter 18

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Chapter 18

Amelia Bones was leading a procession from Hogsmeade. Harry was being levitated on a stretcher, since walking was painful, it was the only option. Aurors Tonks and Jeffries were following behind along with a man called Buckminster Mannington. They were met in the entry by Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"Amelia, how good to see you, what brings you here? We could have brought Mr. Potter back to the castle and saved you the bother."

"Not on your life, I don't trust you around Mr. Potter for ten minutes after seeing the example of your care on Saturday. I'm here to make sure that he is settled in to my satisfaction and to accommodate his guards."

"Mr. Potter doesn't need guards, Hogwarts is the safest place in Britain. We can care for his needs."

"I'm not concerned that Hogwarts itself is a threat, however the staff and students are threats to his wellbeing."

"I'm offended by your characterizations. Mr. Potter is as safe as anyone in this school."

"You can be offended all you want, but that doesn't change the fact that he has been attacked more than once and has nearly died on two occasions, no thanks to you."

"You are exaggerating the facts. He has not come close to dying. That is simply untrue."

"Listen Dumbledore, I'm going to make this simple enough that you can understand it. Harry Potter is under my protection, there are going to be guards with him twenty four hours a day. The aurors are under orders to fire upon any threats they see, and that includes you and your staff. Don't mess with Mr. Potter unless you want the full weight of the Ministry upon you. Do you understand?"

"Don't you think that is too extreme?"

"I didn't ask your opinion, I asked if you understood. I want a simple yes or no. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"Fine, I'll tend to Mr. Potter's needs and then let myself out. I have no need for your help or assistance." With that the procession continued to Gryffindor tower.

They proceeded through both portraits and entered into the suite, where they helped Harry from the stretcher to one of the soft chairs by the fireplace.

"Harry, where would you like the Fidelius placed?" Amelia asked.

"There is an empty room next to the study where I would like to set up my tent. Mr. Mannington? Does the charm work with a house elf as the secret keeper?"

"Not as well. If it is done well with a human, the charm can last a lifetime. With a house elf it usually lasts only three or four years."

"That is long enough for the time that I'm going to be here. Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls for Dobby?"

"I would like you to be the secret keeper to hide my tent. Please do as Mr. Mannington asks."

Within a few minutes the charm was cast and Harry, Tonks, Allison and Amelia were keyed in. Harry would add Ron and Hermione later. With a loud lion's roar, Dobby set the tent up in the room and Harry carefully got up and invited them all inside. There were shocked silences when it came to the jungle. Harry showed them the pool and then the jungle 'moon'. The sounds of the jungle night birds, the smell of the night blooming flowers and the warm breeze was enough to entice Harry to go to sleep immediately but he knew that he couldn't. He turned the 'sun' back on and had them take a look around at the rest of the tent.

"You are all keyed in to the tent, but I'm going to warn you that I sleep next to the pool, and I don't wear anything. Everyone has seen it all before, but if you are offended just yell before coming in. Now let's go back out and get Tonks and Allison set up."

"Harry, I think that I'm going to leave with Buckminster, I'm sure that you can handle things from here." Amelia said.

"Thank you once again for all you've done, I can't tell you how much that I appreciate it." Harry waved as the two left the suite on their way back to the ministry. Harry once again sat gingerly in one of the soft chairs while talking to his two guards.

"Which would you like to do first, decide upon a tent or talk about your wages?"

"Tent."

"Tent."

"Dobby, can you bring in the first of the luxury tents?"

The selection of the right tent took a long time. They had to see each one and then go back and see it again. Harry was amused and was sitting in his chair watching the two women make up their minds. Finally a decision was made and the other tents were taken away. The tent had every comfort that Mr. Terwilliger could put into it. Fancy bedrooms, baths, lounge and game room were enough to make anyone happy. Soon everyone was seated around the fireplace near Harry and the discussion moved on to new topics.

"Allison, I'm sure that viewing my jungle tent has created questions about a lot of things. Tonks already knows most of the answers and has been sworn to secrecy. I would also like you to swear that what you are about to learn be kept secret. You can talk between yourselves about it. But I don't want anyone else to know."

"I don't have a problem with that. If Tonks has sworn before, then I don't have a problem with it. 'I, Allison Jeffries swear to keep confidential Harry Potter's secrets'." With a flash of light it was done.

"Okay, Tonks, I'm too tired to answer questions today. Just fill Allison in the best that you can, and I'll do my best later. Now for the discussion about money, I understand that most aurors have focused on receiving a bounty for catching a Death Eater. I also understand that while you are babysitting me you aren't out there on a search. I want to make it up to you. How about fifty percent of a bounty? Would fifty thousand galleons make up for not having a chance at more?"

"Are you kidding me? That is far more than I was expecting." Allison said happily.

"What about you Tonks?"

"I should kick your butt for what you did the last time, and I shouldn't take your money again. But you can afford it, so I'm happy to take it."

That's settled, there is something else that I need to do. The password needs to be changed to get in here. Do you have any idea what to use?" There were shrugs from both. "When I created the password that we have now, I was so tired that all I wanted were 'sweet dreams'. Now I'm just as tired and all I want are 'jungle nights'. Will that work for you?" With agreements between them, Harry carefully rose from his chair and had Tonks and Allison open the portrait and watch for signs of attack. They had their wands out and looked like they meant business. Harry gingerly stepped out and spoke to Alexander to give him the new password and was spotted by Ron and Hermione.

"Hey, mate, welcome back."

"Yes, welcome back, Harry." Hermione came running to hug him was also carrying a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Stop, Hermione, gentle!" Hermione looked a little sheepish, "Hey, you two, it is good to be back. Let me introduce you to Auror Tonks and Auror Jeffries. They have kindly agreed to be my bodyguards for the rest of the year." Harry turned to the aurors. "This is Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, they are my best friends. They are going to have access to my rooms and my tent. There may be others, too, I haven't decided."

Harry very carefully walked back into the suite and had Dobby key Ron and Hermione into the Fidelius and tent. He was in such pain that he didn't enjoy their shocked faces as much when they saw the jungle. Harry moved near to the pool and asked Dobby to bring chairs from the lounge. Harry sat very gingerly into one of the chairs, he was sweating from the pain and had gone as far as he was willing to go.

"Feel free to look around if you want, but the jungle is the most impressive part of the tent. Let me show you something. 'Neque ad Vesperam'" The jungle 'moon' came out and Harry was almost hypnotized by the sights, sounds, smell and feel of the jungle. "There is something about this jungle at night that I find more soothing than anything that I have experienced in my life. I usually soak in the pool then lie beside it to sleep. I have never had a bad dream or nightmare that way. I need to warn you that I don't wear anything when I sleep here, so if you find that offensive you will have to yell before entering. 'Videas Solem'" The 'sun' once again returned to the jungle. "What do you think?"

"Wicked."

"This is unbelievable,' Hermione said, "I'm always surprised at the power of magic. This jungle looks so much like the real thing. I know that you are getting extremely tired, but I need to apologize to you. You were right, I have an authority complex, and it took you getting hurt to recognize it. McGonagall, Pomfrey and especially Dumbledore are not the people that I thought they were. I'm sorry."

"That's okay, Hermione, I'm glad that you know it now, you don't need to apologize to me. I'm very happy that this issue has been resolved."

"Did you see the Daily Prophet this morning?" Harry shook his head. "Do you want to see it now?"

"Sure."

_RICHEST WIZARD FAMILIES ARE BROKE_

_This morning the wizarding world is a shocked to find that the Malfoy, Nott, LeStrange, Mulciber, Yaxley, Jugson, Dolohov, Avery, Carrow, Gibbon, Crabbe and Goyle families have lost all their wealth. Not only are they broke and homeless, they are tens of millions of galleons in debt. The Daily Prophet has learned that most of these families invested all their money to buy the jungle property in Africa where Harry Potter is reported to have found gold. We have learned that Mr. Potter had tried to buy the jungle during an auction but was outbid by a consortium of the richest families that have now lost their wealth. These families tried to find the locale where Mr. Potter made his discovery, but they were unable to do so before their loans came due._

_It is unknown where these families are staying, as they lost their family homes along with everything of value…_

_HARRY POTTER RAISES BOUNTY ON VOLDEMORT_

_This morning Harry Potter announced that he had raised the bounty on Voldemort to five million galleons and will pay off any debts for whoever delivers the dark lord, dead or alive. Mr. Potter further said…_

~~oo000oo~~

Harry was pleased how it was phrased that he had tried to buy the property during the auction. That would stave off speculation that it was a gigantic fraud. If only he could see the faces of those involved, especially Draco. Harry thought about going into the mirror room, but gave up on the idea because he was so tired. He thought that the timing of his other announcement was perfect. That should put fear into the soul of Voldemort.

"I'm very pleased how the article was written to take suspicion off of me. I wish that I could see the faces of everyone involved. Have you seen the ferret? Has he said anything?"

"He was at breakfast when the owls delivered the paper. He ran from the Great Hall and I haven't seen him since." Ron said gleefully.

"Most of the Slytherins left after that. Nott seemed to be nearly as upset as Draco." Hermione added.

"I wonder who will take them in. They aren't very popular; the only people who attended their parties only did so because they were rich. Take away their money and they are stuck-up obnoxious beggars. I wish that I could see what Voldemort will do with them, especially since it was on his orders that they did what they did. There isn't going to be any love in that room." Harry burst out laughing along with Ron and Hermione. Harry was in too much pain to laugh for long, but he was still in a good mood.

"Harry, I can see that you are tired and in pain. Ron and I are going to leave, and we will see you later."

"Thanks guys, I don't know how long I'm going to sleep. I slept once for fourteen hours and Dobby had to wake me up. I'm much more tired than that. I'll see you when I see you, alright?

"Sure thing, Harry, take care of yourself."

Ron and Hermione left and Harry carefully stood and undressed, when he suddenly remembered something.

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls for Dobby?"

"Could you please bring me my swelling cream?" With a pop, Dobby held it out to him. "I don't know how long I'm going to sleep, it is going to be for a long time. Would you find all the elves that have been made homeless and let them know that I'll bond with any of them when I wake up?"

"Dobby will doos that."

"Thank you. I'm going to have a short soak in the pool and then go to sleep, good night."

Before long the hypnotic properties of the night jungle had put him into a deep slumber.

~~oo000oo~~

"My Lord, I swear that we did everything we could to find the gold but we couldn't find it. We lost twelve men in the jungle looking for it. None of the natives would act as a guide for us, they were too afraid of what was in there."

"Crucio!" Malfoy was on the floor screaming in pain. It was the third time in one day. "I don't want excuses. You failed me, and now you are going to pay for your incompetence!"

The entire inner circle had been tortured for most of the day. More than one was giving serious consideration to the new bounty from Harry Potter.

~~oo000oo~~

Draco was not happy in the slightest. He couldn't accept that the Malfoys were broke. Surely there had to be a mistake, the name 'Malfoy' meant money and power, to think otherwise was impossible. His father would never do anything that would jeopardize the family fortune, it was unthinkable. He was going to demand that the Daily Prophet print a retraction of those scurrilous lies.

No matter how he told himself that it was all a mistake, something kept creeping into his thoughts that it was all Potter's fault. He remembered Potter's smug look when he asked whether his father had found the gold yet. Potter knew something, and it cost Draco everything that he had.

~~oo000oo~~

It had been a long week for Dumbledore. He had lost Severus Snape and Cuthbert Binns. He lost the battle with Harry Potter and was humiliated in defeat. He lost his fortune along with most of Hogwarts' endowment and operating funds. He lost any respect that the students had for him, and the staff was unhappy for getting them into this position, and it was all Harry Potter's fault.

~~oo000oo~~

Almost twenty hours later, Harry woke up. Once again, he thoroughly enjoyed his blissful sleep. He didn't know why the jungle calmed him like it did, and it didn't matter to him as long as he had his tent to sleep in. Having his tent while at Hogwarts was his idea of heaven.

The swelling cream treatment had worn off during the night, so he was sore again. Just as he was applying more cream he heard about three dozen pops and the jungle was filled with house elves. He should have been embarrassed again, but he was getting used to these uncomfortable situations.

"Dobby broughts yous the elveses like Master Harry asked."

"Thank you, Dobby, are these elves all from those families that went broke?"

"No, Master Harry, six of the elveses are from families that didn't want them anymore. Dobby thought yous might bond with them toos." Harry wasn't surprised, for some reason it seemed that every elf in the world wanted to bond with him.

"Dobby, with cleaning vaults and taking care of all the homes and mansions, do you think there is enough work to keep everyone happy?"

"Oh, yes, sir, Master Harry, theres be lots of work that needs be done."

"Alright, what do I have to do?" Before long he had made the elves make the same promise that Dobby and the other elves had done, and he had bonded with all of them. He had forgotten to count them, but he could ask Dobby later. He sent Dobby and the elves away to find work for everyone. He didn't know what so many elves were going to do, but he left it up to Dobby to deal with it.

Harry decided that he would make his way to the mirror room and see if he could catch Sirius alone. After covering himself with his cloak and sitting in front of the mirror he called out, "Visum Speculum,… Sirius Black." Harry got lucky and found Sirius alone.

"Sirius?"

"Harry? Is that you?"

"It's me. It is good to talk to you again. I have managed to bring my tent to Hogwarts and hide it under a Fidelius charm. We should be able to talk regularly now."

"That's great news, I have been so worried from all the news that I have been hearing. Are you doing alright?"

"I just woke up from twenty hours of sleep, and I feel a lot better. It has been so long since I got a good night's sleep that I really needed that. Otherwise I'm still really sore. The healer said that it was going to take time, so I need to be patient."

"Remus told me what he learned from you. I'm sorry that you had to go through so much. The attacks and harassment are grossly out of line. I knew that you were going to have trouble when you went back, but I had no idea that it would be as bad as that. What were Dumbledore and the staff thinking to let it get so bad?"

"I angered and defied them before I greatly embarrassed them, so they decided that I had it coming. I'm disappointed that getting rid of Snape has caused so many problems, but I'm not sorry that I did it. That man had no business terrorizing students as he did."

"Good old Snivellous, bringing joy wherever he goes. Do you have any idea where he is?"

"Nope, I really don't care, as long as he stays out of my way."

"I was happy to see the news about Malfoy and the others going broke. It worked out like you planned. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, it is great that some justice was brought to the bad guys. With all the murder and mayhem that they caused, going broke is the least that should happen to them. Being locked up in Azkaban is more like it."

"One step at a time. There are a lot of people hunting them down, mostly thanks to the bounty that you put on them. And that was a genius idea to raise the bounty on Voldemort, pay off any loans, and have the ministry grant a pardon to whoever kills him. Voldemort has to be the most nervous man around. He literally can't turn his back to anyone."

"I've been wondering what it is like now that his financial backers are broke. I'm sure that he has been torturing the lot of them. They are bound to be looking for a way out of their problems."

"I agree. It would be fun to watch them. Have you tried using the mirrors to find them?"

"Not yet, this is the first time I have gotten a chance to use a mirror, and I called you first."

"I'm glad that you did. How are you really, about the things that happened to you? Are you going to be able to work your way through it without leaving mental scars?"

"I don't know. In one way, I can blame the whole thing on crazy female hormones. In another I blame myself for what I did with the photos. But even with the photos out there, that doesn't give them the right to try to kill me. The viciousness of the mob scared me more than I thought possible."

"Are you seeing all girls like that?"

"No, Hermione and Ginny have been alright, and my guards, Tonks and Allison, but they are the only ones. I don't know how I'm ever going to be able to date someone and know that they are after the real me instead of what they saw in the photos, the money or the whole Boy-Who-Lived thing."

"You are in a bad position; that is for sure. Don't let it get you down, the right one will come along when it is time."

"I'll try to remember that."

"What about the attacks themselves, are you having nightmares or anything?"

"I did until last night, sleeping in the jungle is great. Nothing seems to bother me there."

"Do you think that it would help to talk about it? I'll listen without making fun of you."

"Thanks, I think that I'll be okay."

"If you're sure, then I won't bring it up."

"Thanks for talking to me about things Sirius, it does make me feel better."

"Anytime, kid."

~~oo000oo~~

"Hermione?" Ron and Hermione had joined Harry in his tent a few hours after he woke up.

"What is it?"

"Do you remember our talk about the dark mark and learning more about it?"

"I do, but I'm sorry that I haven't been able to find out anything more."

"That's okay, I talked with Amelia Bones about it, and she said that there isn't very much known. I asked her if she would have any objections if I worked on learning more. I'm considering publicly asking for information and rewarding individuals that provide it. I haven't figured out how to set a rate of payment."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, with Death Eaters, it was easy: one price for any of them. It is not the same with paying for information, some information is more valuable. Some major revelation should be worth more than a minor one. I don't know how to announce that I'm paying for what I want, it is so subjective."

"I don't have an easy answer for you. Perhaps you could give the job to an independent person that is unbiased, and let them determine what something is worth."

"That sounds okay, but who would want the job?"

"I don't know. I guess I could do it for a while, but I would really like someone else to do it."

"How much should I offer? I really want to get attention and motivate people."

"How important is it to you?"

"I don't exactly know. There is something in the back of my mind that wants to know if the dark mark has any weaknesses that can affect Voldemort… I guess that it is important to me. If I got the answer that I want, then I don't care what it costs. It would be worth a million galleons if there is some way to use the mark against him."

"Harry, what kinds of things to you want to know, specifically?"

"Can the dark mark be removed? How does it go on? How does it work? What can Voldemort send through the link… pain, information, rewards or what? How does he send messages through the link? Is there an incantation? Can anything be sent back toward Voldemort, or is it only a one-way link? Are all dark marks the same? Is it possible for someone else to access the dark marks besides Voldemort? Are there modifications that can be made to the dark marks? Can Voldemort change it after it is done?"

"That is quite a list, Harry. You must have been thinking about this for a long time."

"Yeah, for a while. I just think that there may be some useful information in there somewhere. Maybe it is a waste of time, but it can't hurt to find out."

"What would happen if you put a notice in the Daily Prophet, listing some of those questions and offering a fifty thousand galleon payment to whoever delivers that answer plus evidence to back it up? Then maybe include any other questions like those that might be helpful."

"Thanks Hermione, that helps a lot. I'll send a message to Remus and see if he wants to make it part of the news or if it should be placed as an advertisement.

~~oo000oo~~

_HARRY POTTER OFFERS GALLEONS FOR INFORMATION_

_Today Harry Potter offered to pay for information regarding the dark mark worn by Voldemort's Death Eaters. Mr. Potter will pay fifty thousand galleons for answers and evidence for each question on a list he has provided (see below). "I feel that learning more about the dark mark may be beneficial to the effort to stop Voldemort. I don't know that the information will be helpful, but I have nothing to lose except for some galleons. I would also be willing to pay for other information, not on the list, that would be valuable to me. I would like all information sent to me in care of Gringotts Bank. If it proves to be valuable, an independent judge will evaluate it and determine if payment should be made…"_

~~oo000oo~~

Tonks and Allison were enjoying themselves in their tent, especially the game room. Until Harry returned to class, there was little for them to do.

Hermione brought Harry her notes for the classes that he missed, and other than Divination, he was caught up with his assignments. Hermione thought doing homework in a jungle was strange, but fun as well. Harry, Ron and Hermione would meet each evening, not only to do homework, but to look at the dark mark information sent by Gringotts. So far there were a lot of people answering with a simple yes, no or declaration without anything to back it up. All three of them thought they were nothing more than guesses in hopes of getting payment.

~~oo000oo~~

While Harry was convalescing, he had sent messages to Amelia about Pettigrew. She still couldn't give him any exact details about what she would be willing to offer a Death Eater that captured Wormtail. But they finally agreed that it could be left vague.

_POTTER OFFERS REWARD FOR CAPTURE OF PETER PETTIGREW_

_Harry Potter has offered a 500 thousand galleon reward for the live capture of Peter Pettigrew. While most of the wizarding world believes that Pettigrew is dead, Mr. Potter is convinced otherwise. "I know that Peter Pettigrew is alive and is likely living as a rat animagus. He did not die at the hands of Sirius Black, and I intend to prove that with his capture. For those looking for him, he has a silver hand/paw and is considered extremely dangerous. I have had talks with Minister for Magic, Amelia Bones, and she assures me that, should another Death Eater bring him to justice, she would offer that person a reduced sentence. It is my hope that Pettigrew's capture will result in closing a very painful episode in my life."_

_Peter Pettigrew was awarded an Order of Merlin, third class, for his…_

Harry didn't know if it would do any good, but he felt better that an effort was being made to clear Sirius' name.

~~oo000oo~~

It took ten days after he returned to Hogwarts before Harry felt well enough to return to class. He had to be very careful walking, but it was manageable. His guards were able to keep everyone at bay. After stunning three girls, the word spread that Harry was off limits. Dumbledore was very unhappy that students were attacked by the aurors, but there was nothing that he could do about it. He was mostly powerless in his own school. The staff was unhappy with him for letting Harry win the battle, and they weren't getting paid. The students had lost nearly all the respect for him after the trouble with Gryffindor. Those problems were bad enough, but he had to teach the upper years in Potions, and he still hadn't found anyone for History.

~~oo000oo~~

After Harry's Potion class that Dumbledore taught, the headmaster asked him to stay behind. Naturally, the guards did as well.

"Mr. Potter, might I have a word with you?"

"What would you like to talk about, Headmaster?"

"As you are well aware, the finances for Hogwarts are dire. I can't pay the existing staff, and I can't hire anyone for History without being able to pay them. I wonder if you would ask for some favors and see if anything can be done to rectify the situation."

"I could be persuaded to do so, but there will be conditions."

"What are they?"

"The biggest one is that you stay out of my life. You must agree that you are not in control of what I do. I'm going to make my own decisions."

"But you are not safe."

"I'm not safe around you either. I'll take my chances. If I have to hire guards, then that is what I'm going to do, but I'm going to be in control."

"As long as you have guards, I suppose I have no problem with that. Is there anything else?"

"I want you to do your best to make your staff be less antagonistic towards the Gryffindors and myself. We need to get along, and there is too much tension. I know that you can't change it overnight, but I want you to try."

"I can do that."

"I also want to know everything you know about the dark mark."

"I have a notebook that has all the information I know about that. I'll make you a copy."

"As long as we are in agreement, I'll contact Gringotts and have 250 thousand galleons transferred into your operating account. I'll also ask for favors that will help further restore the endowment, but that will take much longer."

"Thank you for that. I'm sorry that I let things get so bad that you felt it necessary to do what you did. I hope that we can put it behind us."

"I hope so too, Headmaster, but it will take a while before trust can be restored. I'm willing to work toward that goal if you are."

"I'm willing as well. You should hurry to lunch."

~~oo000oo~~

Dumbledore had sent a copy of his notes pertaining to the dark mark. Harry, Ron and Hermione found there were many items of interest. The dark mark is a protean charm, where each individual helps to form a network that can transmit information, like a location, by sending a form of a message spell through the network along with a password that 'opens' each mark to deliver to the each of those marked. By using a milder form of the Cruciatus Curse, the network could be loaded with the energy and released to a specific person. Voldemort has to establish and open a link to access the network. He can use anyone's dark mark to access and control the network. Once the link is established, his spells flow through his wand into the network, to be released specifically or in mass. As far as Dumbledore knew, all dark marks were the same. He made no mention as to whether anyone else could access the network or if modifications could be made.

Harry, Ron and Hermione agreed that Dumbledore deserved payment for the information that he provided, and Harry decided that he should restore some of Dumbledore's wealth. He would wait another two weeks to see if Dumbledore was really making an effort to live up to their agreement and then send 250 thousand galleons to his personal vault.

The information opened up a number of questions that they weren't sure there were answers to. If access to the network could be established by anyone, could other spells be loaded so that they would be released to one or all the Death Eaters? Could spells be loaded and released to Voldemort when he established a connection? They didn't have any idea how they could get the answers except by waiting to see if further information would be coming from the reward system they had in place.

~~oo000oo~~

"Potter! I know you're behind my losing my inheritance, and I want to know how you did it." Draco had ambushed Harry, Allison and Tonks in the hallway to the Great Hall. Both the aurors had their wands drawn. One had Draco in sight, and the other was looking around for others.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Your father and associates couldn't find gold. That is hardly my fault."

"You know something about that, and I want to know what. You are hiding something. How could you find gold when they couldn't?"

"Did you see my amulet in the photos?"

"My father copied that and tried to use it and it didn't work."

"Did anyone ever see the backside of it?" Draco was silent while he thought about it.

"Are you telling me the real map was on the other side of that thing?"

"I'll leave that up to you, but I want you to remember that I bid the Potter fortune trying to buy the property. Would I do that, if I didn't know where the gold is?"

"I still think that you did something."

"I don't care what you think. Your father and friends couldn't find gold, and they paid the price. I didn't force anyone to do anything. They did what they did of their own free will. They gambled and lost; I can hardly be blamed for that. You are stopping us from having our supper. If there is nothing else, just go away."

~~oo000oo~~

"Wormtail!"

"Yes, My Lord?" Pettigrew moved quickly, knelt, bowed and kissed the robes of the Dark Lord.

"I have a job for you."

"Anything, My Lord."

"I want you to go to Hogwarts and get close to Potter. Find out everything that you can. Potter knows something about the failure in Africa, and I want to know what."

"Hogwarts, My Lord? What about the bounty?"

"You'll go to Hogwarts, or I'll kill you myself."

"Yes, My Lord. Right away, My Lord."

"Don't fail me, Wormtail, you won't like the consequences."

"Yes, My Lord."

~~oo000oo~~

The girls were no longer attacking him, but that didn't mean that they were leaving him alone either. There was a constant stream of sultry looks, blown kisses, loose robes with a lot of cleavage or legs showing and many gestures that left little to the imagination. There was nothing that Tonks and Allison could do about that, he was just going to have to live with it.

He didn't regret taking away Voldemort's funding, that was critically important, but he kept second guessing himself. Maybe there was something else that he could have done differently. No matter how many times he thought about it, he couldn't come up with a better plan. It was too late now anyway. He was just going to have to live with it. Hermione and Ginny told him that his photos were pinned up in nearly every girl's room in Gryffindor. It didn't look like the uproar was going away any time soon, if at all.

~~oo000oo~~

The reward for information about the dark mark was bringing the crazies out of the woodwork. Harry, Ron and Hermione were sorting through a large stack of letters every day. Occasionally they would find something they needed to discuss between them, but the vast majority was worthless and took their time to sort through.

One of them was interesting; the letter claimed that journals existed from a classmate and early follower of Tom Riddle, whom Riddle killed for knowing too much. The letter claimed that they contained the answers to most of Harry's questions, but the individual was unwilling to send them via owl. The person wanted to meet, preferably at a neutral location, to strike a deal. Arranging a time was going to prove to be difficult. Either it was going to wait until Christmas holidays, or someone else would have to meet them.

The only person that he trusted to make such an evaluation would be Remus. Harry hated to burden him with anything else since the Daily Prophet was a huge job and was taking all of his waking hours. Harry decided that he would talk to Sirius about it that evening.

"Sirius."

"Pup, how are things going?"

"Okay, most things are going along okay. Remus wouldn't happen to be home would he?"

"He wasn't a little while ago. What's up?"

"There was a letter from Gringotts about the reward for information about the dark mark. It is supposed to be journals from a classmate and early follower of Tom Riddle that was killed for knowing too much. The person who sent me the letter wants to meet in person in a neutral location to view the journals. I was wondering if Remus could be persuaded to meet with this person."

"I could ask him. He is very busy at the Prophet, but he might be able to take an hour or two to do this for you."

"I would appreciate that… wait a minute…"

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls Dobby?"

"Would you make a copy of this letter and deliver it to Sirius for me?" Dobby took the letter and with a pop he showed up next on the other side of the mirror. With another pop he was back.

"Woulds't Master Harry like Dobby to doos anything else?"

"That's all, thank you, Dobby." Dobby popped away leaving Harry and Sirius to continue their conversation. Sirius read the letter and gave his opinion.

"This could be what you are looking for. On the other hand it could be a fraud and waste of time, but I think that it is worth checking out."

"That's what we thought as well."

"How is everything else going for you?"

"About the same, I'm not getting physically attacked, but they are doing everything to get my attention. It is getting really old and tiresome. I wish that I could be left alone."

"I'm afraid that isn't going to happen for a very long time, that is just the sacrifice that you have to pay for what you have done. Remus told me that those extra photos have made their way out of Hogwarts and into the general population. He doesn't think that anybody will publish them, but Playwitch might. I don't know if there is anything that you can do to stop them."

"I better send a letter to Ted Tonks, and he can have a word with them."

"How are your classes, are the professors still acting badly?"

"I'm not being stared at with loathing, but my grades are mostly A's, I can live with that. I really don't care about my grades, as long as I'm learning magic."

"I suppose you're right. It is still a bad situation and shouldn't be that way."

"All in all, things are going as well as I can expect. I can go to class and meals, do my studying, and be with my friends, it could be a lot worse."

"When you put it that way, then I guess you're right."

"I still haven't heard anything about Wormtail. I thought that one of the Death Eaters would cash in on him before this. I would really like to see him caught."

"I would too. I'm tired of being cooped up in this house."

"All we can do is wait, hopefully it won't be much longer."

~~oo000oo~~

Wormtail had made his way into Hogwarts and into the Gryffindor common room.

Harry had told Ron and Hermione that he had business to take care of this evening and he wouldn't be able to study with them.

Wormtail saw Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, but couldn't see a trace of Harry.

Ron was playing chess with Seamus while Hermione was sitting in her favorite chair with Crookshanks sitting next to her. Crookshanks was lying very low next to her and wasn't visible from behind the couch where Wormtail was lying. He was waiting for his chance to make it to the fifth year boy's dorm without being seen but that would have to wait until late in the night. For now, he was hiding behind a couch and decided to take a nap.

A Gryffindor walked by, and the air currents shifted. Crookshanks smelled prey and raised his head to look around. He decided to jump down from Hermione's lap and started to prowl. Before long, he had found the rat, sneaked up very slowly and quietly and pounced.


	19. Chapter 19

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Chapter 19

Ron came bursting into Harry's suite, yelling near the top of his voice.

"TONKS! ALLISON! We need you in the common room! Come quick!" Ron ran into Harry's tent. "Harry, we've got Scabbers – I mean Wormtail – Pettigrew – oh, WHATEVER!"

Harry ran from his tent, through his suite and into the common room. He found Pettigrew lying on the floor, presumably stunned with a large wound to the back of his neck. There were at least a dozen wands on him, with Tonks standing over him as well. Allison came running into the room with magical handcuffs and placed them on him.

"Tonks, how are the cuffs going to work on his metallic arm? Will he be able to break free?" Harry was thinking out loud.

"Good point, Harry. Allison, grab another pair of cuffs and let's do his ankles as well." Allison ran back to the suite and tent to retrieve another pair.

"If he is able to break free of his wrist cuffs, severing the ankle cuffs should take but a minute."

"You're right, Harry, I think it is best if we keep him stunned until help arrives." Tonks replied, "I need a volunteer to run to Professor McGonagall's office and summon the DMLE and the Minister." Three students ran out of the portrait hole towards the floo in their head of house's office.

"Can someone tell me what happened?" Harry asked.

"I was studying one of my textbooks when Crookshanks dropped from my lap. The next thing that I heard was him screeching and a man swearing. Crookshanks continued to attack him until the rest of us figured out what was happening and we fired stunners at him. That is when Ron ran to get Tonks, Allison and you."

"Tonks, are you going to let him keep bleeding like that?" Ron asked.

"He isn't going to bleed to death and the rug can be cleaned easily. Personally, I like to see this vermin in the state he is in."

"Can I kick him for all the years that he pretended to be Scabbers?" Ron grinned.

"We should wait until Minister Bones arrives, maybe she will approve." Tonks grinned back.

Tonks and Allison stood guard for almost fifteen minutes until Minister Bones and eight aurors came through the portrait hole with McGonagall and the three students. Tonks reported what happened and Allison concurred.

"Fine work, you two." Amelia Bones looked at Pettigrew's silver hand and contemplated for a minute. "Let's levitate him outside the common room. I don't want the students to witness what comes next. I will return once he is locked up securely at the Ministry."

Tonks looked around at Harry's friends. "I want all of you to stay close to Harry and stun the first person that steps out of line. If Harry is attacked before I get back, there is going to be hell to pay. Understood?"

McGonagall looked at Tonks with pursed lips and vanished the blood on the rug before following the group back to her office.

"I can't believe that he came looking for me and got so close. I wonder why he didn't come into my rooms."

"Maybe he just got here and hadn't made it that far. He must have been asleep in order for him to miss Crookshanks sneaking up on him. Maybe he was tired from traveling this far." Hermione speculated.

"That makes sense, I guess. That is still a lot closer than I'm comfortable with."

"Yeah, me too, mate. Just thinking about him being Scabbers sends shivers down my spine. To have a mass murderer that close is scary." Ron interjected.

"Harry? What happens to the bounty?" Colin Creevey asked.

"That is a good question. Pettigrew would never have been caught if it hadn't been for Crookshanks, and since he is Hermione's cat, then she should get the reward. But all of you stunned him before he could do anything." Harry thought out loud.

"Harry, I think that the money should be shared between us." Hermione said.

"I tell you what. Because it could be that my life was saved by what happened, I'm going to raise the amount. Hermione, you are going to get the full 500 thousand with your word that Crookshanks will get the best of everything for the rest of his life. To those of you who fired a stunner, you are going to get 50 thousand galleons; and to the rest of you that were in the common room, you are going to get 10 thousand apiece." Harry said. "Does that sound fair?" There were a lot of nodding heads and everyone seemed satisfied. "Hermione, would you get everyone's name, so I can send the list to Gringotts to take care of the payments?"

"Sure Harry, I'll take care of it."

"Thanks, Hermione."

Harry spent the next two hours in the common room surrounded by his year mates, discussing what had just happened and what it meant. There was a lot a speculation about Voldemort and theories why Pettigrew took such a chance coming to Hogwarts and Gryffindor tower. It had to be to get to Harry, but what exactly was Wormtail going to do? The only thing that made any sense was to kill him, but that didn't fit either. Voldemort had always tried to kill Harry himself. Perhaps Wormtail was only supposed to capture him. By the time Tonks and Allison returned, the same ideas had been discussed at least three times without resolution.

Harry returned to his rooms with Tonks and Allison.

"Harry, we think you should know that Minister Bones and the other aurors didn't trust Pettigrew escaping with his metallic hand. Minister Bones ordered that his arm be amputated in order to prevent his escape. And that was done right outside the portrait hole. That is what the Minister meant when she said that she didn't want the students to see." Tonks reported.

"I'm not going to feel sorry for him in the slightest. He deserves a lot worse for what he did to my parents and Cedric, not to mention all the other people he has likely killed." Harry stated emphatically.

"Even so, I thought you should know that he isn't going anywhere." Allison added, "The minister wanted to let you know that she will be here shortly."

Harry waited in a chair by the fireplace reading a quidditch magazine, until the portrait to his rooms opened and Amelia Bones entered.

"Harry, I hope that one of the aurors told you that Pettigrew is locked up tight and isn't going anywhere until his trial."

"Tonks told me. She also mentioned what you did to his hand. I think that was a great thing to do, I was worried about that."

"Although distasteful, it was the only way to be sure that he isn't going anywhere. We are keeping him stunned for good measure." Amelia stated, "I'm glad that things worked out like they did. He came far too close to you for my comfort."

"Yeah, mine too… we have been discussing it and the best that we can figure out is that he just got here and was waiting to find me. Most likely he would have made his way to me tonight or tomorrow."

"I have to admit that when you told me that Pettigrew was still alive, I didn't believe you. I apologize for that. I suppose I have to believe you about Sirius Black as well. There is going to be an emergency session of the Wizengamot tomorrow morning, would you like to be there?"

"I would. I really don't want to look at him again, but I think that I need to hear what he has to say. I would like to hear in his own words why he betrayed my parents. The fact that he is going to pay for what he did to Cedric is going to ease my mind. Are you going to question him about Sirius?"

"I intend to thoroughly question him about as many things as I can before he goes to Azkaban or is Kissed."

"Do you see any trouble with the Wizengamot wanting to turn him loose?"

"Not anymore, after all of those families went bankrupt, their seats are inactive. Their votes were the ones that I have had the hardest time with."

"I can get proxies for each of their seats and shift the balance even more in the right direction. Those individuals that foreclosed on the debts now control most of the seats, and I have a good relationship with most of them. I can't do it in time for tomorrow, but I'll try to get it done as soon as possible."

"You are just full of surprises. You are going to make my life a lot easier."

"I try… I want to see things change for the better. Changing those votes over to the good side is going to do that."

"Aurors Tonks and Jeffries, I want you to escort Harry to the Wizengamot chambers before 10 o'clock, tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Madam Minister."

Amelia Bones left once again, and Harry headed into his tent, he had something that he really wanted to do.

"Sirius!"

"Pup, you seem excited. What is going on?"

"I am. We caught Wormtail in the common room a couple of hours ago. He is locked up tight in the Ministry and his trial is in the morning."

Sirius sat in stunned silence for a long time before he could speak again.

"You caught that rat? How? What was he doing in the common room? Did he hurt anyone?"

"Whoa… I'll tell you about it… Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, caught him hiding or sleeping behind a couch. When he turned back human the cat kept attacking him long enough for a group of students to stun him several times. My guards went to help out and stood over him until Amelia Bones and aurors showed up. They left him stunned and took him outside the portrait hole where they cut off his metallic hand, arm and all, before taking him to the ministry. No one was hurt, just a little shook up, but they felt a lot better when I announced award money to everyone in the room."

"I don't know what to say. I have been waiting for this to happen for so long, it just feels strange that it is happening all of a sudden."

"I thought that my bounty would capture him, I never thought that he would come to me and get caught by a cat. I guess things don't always go as expected."

"You said that the trial is tomorrow?"

"Yes, and Amelia invited me to be there; my guards will be escorting me after breakfast."

"… Wormtail is finally going to get what is coming to him. Sometimes that was all that kept me going in Azkaban, Peter getting caught and thoughts of you." Sirius' voice seemed to choke up.

"Well, now you should have both of those things. Peter is not getting out of this, and I'm not going anywhere. Hopefully you will be free by this time tomorrow."

~~oo000oo~~

Harry was dressed in different robes for breakfast, and it didn't escape the notice of Dumbledore and McGonagall. They confronted him while he was eating.

"Mr. Potter, are you planning to leave Hogwarts? I don't remember giving you permission."

"The Minister for Magic has invited me to the trial of Pettigrew, and she is expecting me."

"Even so, you need permission from your head of house or the headmaster before you may leave."

"I'm going with or without your permission. You can choose to make an issue about it or accept that there is nothing that you can do to stop it. Pettigrew betrayed my parents and killed Cedric Diggory, and I intend to see justice done."

"You must ask for permission before leaving Hogwarts, regardless of who invited you." Dumbledore was losing the twinkle in his eyes.

"As I said, I'm going to the trial. You can choose to do whatever you like. If you decide to expel me then let me know now and I'll pack my things. With all that has happened to me here, I have very little reason for staying."

"You can't leave Hogwarts, you don't have any OWLs yet." McGonagall added in.

"I can get a special dispensation to skip my OWLs and hire private tutors to finish my education. At least I'll feel safe that way."

"I don't think that will be necessary, just be sure that you are back before curfew." Dumbledore had capitulated knowing that he wasn't going to win the argument and thinking of the bad press that would surely follow. Especially since Harry owned the Daily Prophet.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry was sitting next to Remus in Courtroom 10. They both knew they had to be there to witness what was going to happen. Harry was able to slip a piece of parchment to the minister before the session started. He hoped that she would use some of the questions that he gave her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I called this special session in order to correct a great mistake. It seems that what we all knew about the night that James and Lily Potter were killed is wrong." There was a lot of murmuring before Amelia could get their attention again. "I'm referring to the supposed death of Peter Pettigrew. Aurors, please bring in the prisoner!"

Pettigrew was levitated through the chamber doors and strapped into place as best they could with much of his arm missing. It seemed like they left him stunned since the day before. There were many shocked faces in the courtroom when they recognized someone who was supposed to be dead.

"Aurors, please wake the defendant." With a flash of light Pettigrew started to come around. Once he recognized where he was, he looked in every direction seeking a means of escape and saw a dementor in the far corner. He also saw Harry and Remus sitting there and knew that he was in the most serious trouble of his life. He tried to turn back into Wormtail but was stopped by the magic inhibiting cuffs he was wearing on his ankles. He started to panic and plead with Remus.

"Remus, my old friend, it is so good to see you. Please explain that this is a huge mistake and I shouldn't be here."

"Go to hell, Peter!" Remus was struggling with the wolf inside. The wolf wanted to tear him from limb to limb.

"Harry, please stop this, your father wouldn't want you to do this to one of his best friends."

"You cost me my parents, and you dare ask for pity? Like Remus said, go to hell."

"Quiet… quiet in the courtroom… Mr. Pettigrew, do you know why you are here?" Amelia asked.

"This is all some kind of mistake, I'm innocent. I have been hiding all these years so that the Dark Lord can't find me. You have to believe me!"

"We will see about that. Aurors! Give him the veritaserum." It took two aurors to hold his head back with his mouth open while the third gave him the three drops. Within a minute, Pettigrew stopped struggling and got a glassy look in his eyes.

"What is your name?"

"Peter Ignatius Pettigrew"

"Are you a Death Eater?"

"Yes."

"Why were you in the Gryffindor common room yesterday?"

"I was told by the Dark Lord to get close to Potter and find out all I could about the gold he found in Africa."

"Why was that?"

"The Dark Lord believes there is something that Potter knows but isn't telling." Pettigrew answered. Harry was hoping that Amelia would change topics and not let this questioning continue.

"Were you the secret keeper for James and Lily Potter when they were killed?"

"Yes."

Pandemonium broke out in the courtroom. There were shouts and screams for Pettigrew to be Kissed. Finally Amelia had to fire a cannon blast from her wand to regain order.

"I will have order in this courtroom. I will have the next person to disrupt these proceedings thrown out. Do I make myself clear?" The final noise quieted and the trial continued.

"Did you betray the Potters to Voldemort?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to gain favor with the Dark Lord. He was going to reward me for doing so."

"And what was to be your reward?"

"I was given a muggle girl to do with what I wanted before I killed her." Noise again rose in the courtroom before Amelia's gavel restored the order again.

"When did you become a Death Eater?"

"It was during my seventh year."

"Why did you become a Death Eater?"

"I was tired of being in the shadow of the other Marauders, I got no respect from any of them. I wanted to do something on my own to show them that I wasn't a nobody."

"Who were these Marauders?"

"James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin."

"Were any of these three people Death Eaters?"

"No."

"Do you mean to say that Sirius Black wasn't a Death Eater?"

"He was never a Death Eater. The Dark Lord only wanted me." Pettigrew said proudly.

"Tell me about faking your death and blowing up the street full of muggles."

"It was all my idea. The other three said that I wasn't any good at playing pranks - that I would always manage to get caught. I knew that Sirius would figure out that I told the Dark Lord about James and Lily. I knew that he was coming for me. I found a gas main in a crowded street full of muggles and waited until he arrived. It was all so easy. I called out, 'How could you do that to James and Lily? They were your best friends.' I cut off my finger, and I waited for a second to see the expression on his face before I fired a Reductor Curse at the gas line and lit it on fire. I hurried down the sewer with Sirius' expression locked inside my head. I had the last laugh, and I had pranked him better than any of them could do."

"Are you telling us that you are an unregistered rat animagus?"

"Yes."

"Is Sirius Black innocent of the crimes that he is thought to have committed?"

"Yes."

"Did you do those crimes instead?"

"Yes."

"Who recruited you to become a Death Eater?"

"Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy" Pandemonium broke out once again in the courtroom. Dumbledore hadn't said a word during the proceedings, but at this proclamation he lost all color in his face. After a few minutes, Amelia was able to once again restore the peace and order.

"Who else do you know to be Death Eaters?"

Pettigrew recited a long list of names. It included all the names that were bankrupted in the African gold deal and dozens of others.

"Please describe what happened in the graveyard last June. Did you help Voldemort regain a body?"

Wormtail went on to describe everything that Harry had experienced plus what happened while he was unconscious. The courtroom was stunned with what they heard. Many of them refused to believe what Harry and Dumbledore had tried to tell them, but here was proof.

"How did Voldemort regain a physical form?"

"I travelled to Albania searching for him. I found his spirit possessing a snake. I killed a mother and took her baby, and the Dark Lord told me how to perform a ritual so that he could bond with the baby's body. After that we returned to England and waited for Harry. The Dark Lord would only use Harry's blood for the next ritual."

"You killed Cedric Diggory?"

"I killed the boy that Harry arrived with."

"How many people have you killed?"

"I can't count them all."

"Are there anymore questions from anyone in the courtroom?" Amelia directed her attention away from Pettigrew and toward the audience. There were soft murmurs, but no one spoke up.

"Aurors, give him the antidote."

"I didn't mean any of it. I didn't know what I was saying, I'm innocent. You can't send me to Azkaban…"

"Aurors! Silence him." Amelia took a moment to digest what she had heard. "Ladies and gentlemen, I have to agree to one thing that Pettigrew has said. We can't send him to Azkaban. With his ability to turn himself into a small rodent, it would be a danger that he could escape. I believe that we shouldn't take that risk. I believe that we should sentence him to a dementor's Kiss, to be administered immediately."

"Surely, Amelia, you can't mean that. He can atone for his crimes in Azkaban with only a little more security. If he is Kissed he will never have a chance to repent for his sins. We must show mercy, else we will be no better than Voldemort." Dumbledore was scrambling to change the opinions of the Wizengamot.

Harry couldn't stand it and stood up. "There you go again, defending the guilty without considering the innocent. If there is even a slim chance that this man will escape and kill again, then we need to end it here and now. Where is your compassion for the innocent?"

"Mr. Potter, now is not the time. This is a criminal trial, and you will be quiet." Amelia chastised him but agreed with every word.

"We can't give into revenge, we must be above it and show mercy to those less fortunate than us." Dumbledore tried once again.

Amelia turned to the Wizengamot. "Do I hear a motion for a vote to find the defendant guilty and administer a dementor's Kiss immediately?"

"I so move, Madam Minister." Augusta Longbottom called out.

"I second the motion," came a voice that Harry didn't recognize.

"I have a motion on the floor calling for a vote to find the defendant guilty of all crimes and to sentence him to an immediate dementor's Kiss. All those in favor, please say 'Aye'." There was a loud chorus of 'Ayes'. "All those against please say 'Nay'" Albus Dumbledore was the only dissenting vote.

"The motion carried. May we have the prisoner moved to the dementor's cage and have the Kiss performed in front of all these witnesses?" It took less than five minutes for Peter Pettigrew to have his soul sucked out. The life of Pettigrew would not be missed by anyone, except Albus Dumbledore.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention once again? We have a grave injustice that we need to address. Sirius Black has been wrongly accused of crimes he did not commit. You heard for yourself that it was Pettigrew who framed him. Black spent twelve years in Azkaban as an innocent man and I would like to see justice done. I would like to entertain a motion to pardon him for his crimes, to clear all stains from his record and compensate him for this injustice."

"I so move." It was Augusta Longbottom again.

"Seconded," came from someone on the other side of the aisle.

"We have a motion before us to pardon Sirius Black, clear all crimes from his record and to compensate him for the time he wrongly served in Azkaban…" This time the vote was unanimous and the special session was adjourned. Harry and Remus, along with Tonks and Allison, filed out of the courtroom to face the reporters. With Remus along, the Daily Prophet reporters were more manageable.

"Mr. Potter, do you feel that justice was served?"

"Nothing will bring back the innocent lives that were taken as a result of the actions of Pettigrew. His giving his soul is justice, but it is small compensation for those lost. I hope the families of his victims can find some comfort in what happened here today."

"Do you have any comments about why he was sent to spy on you?"

"Many of Voldemort's followers bought land in Africa thinking that they were going to find gold. I tried to use the Potter fortune to buy it as well, but I was outbid. The group who bought the land failed to find gold and they are blaming me. I don't see how I can be blamed for their failure."

"Do you have any comments about the photos of you that were published?"

"Everything that I have to say about that is in the apology that was printed by Witch Weekly. Thank you for your questions, but I need to get back to school." Remus and Harry were able to push their way through the reporters and leave the ministry building. Instead of returning immediately to Hogwarts, the two of them made their way to Grimmauld Place.

"SIRIUS!"

"What happened to Peter? Did they say anything about me?" Sirius was nearly shaking with excitement.

"Peter has been Kissed, and you are free!" Harry ran and hugged his godfather; he held on for everything that he was worth. "It's over. You can do whatever you want to do. Your record is cleared and there will be compensation paid."

Remus joined in and made it a three way hug. Sirius had tears in his eyes. He didn't think that this day would ever come. They broke the hug when Sirius needed to sit down. They went to the sitting room and each took a chair.

"What is the first thing you will do, now that you are free?" Harry asked.

"I'm going to the Ministry to see if they still have my old wand. If not, I'm going to Ollivanders to get another one. After that I'm just going for a walk outside to smell the fresh air."

"Padfoot, I think the Daily Prophet should run some articles so that everyone will know you have been cleared of all charges," Remus added.

"In order to increase circulation to reach the most readers, I think that you should appear nude," Harry added with a grin, "just think of the hot babes." With that all three of them laughed until their sides hurt. "I think that I can get Witch Weekly to publish the photos, although you may be too old." This time only Harry laughed, he thought it was hilarious. Sirius and Remus were plotting how they were going to get even for that comment.

"We do need to get the news out about you being cleared. I think that a series of articles over several days would be best." Remus said. "I would like for you to meet with one of our best reporters, today if possible, and get the story out there, before it gets twisted into something that will need correction.

"Whatever you think is best. You are the newspaper man after all." Sirius jibed.

"Yeah, no thanks to Harry." Turning to Harry, he continued, "I'm not sure that I like you anymore. You don't realize just how much work it is." Remus complained.

"Well, give yourself a raise, you deserve it. I'm very proud of what you have accomplished in the time that you have been in control. How has the staff taken to the change?"

"I think they are happier about it for the most part. They didn't like printing the propaganda that Fudge gave them. Now they can follow their own leads and come up with what they want to print. Sometimes I have had to have them rewrite it. I don't like opinion reported as the news. But all in all, it is getting better every day."

"That is good to hear, I'm really glad that you decided to do this for me." Harry said. "Now we have to find something to occupy Sirius' time. Have you heard of any dog kennels that need managing?" They all laughed at this. "Actually, I do have something that I would like you to do. It won't take up much of your time. I want you to have a proxy for the Potter vote in the Wizengamot. I also worked with a lot of other people who have votes and haven't used them for a long time - some of them for hundreds of years. If I get their proxies, will you accept them and vote on their behalf as well?"

"Let me think about it. I was raised to know politics, but I gave up the idea when I left home. It would give me something to do, and Amelia Bones could use help in changing things."

"If I might make another suggestion, how about you spend some of your compensation to fix up this dump?"

"I was thinking of moving out the first chance I got. There are too many dark memories of my ancestors here."

"Why don't you get rid of those memories by stripping this place down to the studs and rebuilding something light and airy? Show those ancestors who's boss, you can get rid of the memories while you build a new life and replace all the bad from the past."

"Your plan sounds good, but it is going to take a long time. With Kreacher's help it could take years."

"I have a better idea." Harry grinned. "Elves!" With a series of pops he had over fifty house elves filling the room. "I would like to introduce you to my godfather, Sirius Black. He hates the way that this house looks and would like to change it, and I would like for you to help him. If that means tearing everything down to the studs and starting fresh then that is what I would like you to do. Just follow Sirius' orders like they were my own until the job is done, and then you can go back to what you were doing."

"That is incredible, Pup." Sirius didn't quite know what to say. "With this much help it shouldn't take long at all."

"Good, if that is settled, I need to get back to school before Dumbledore has a coronary."


	20. Chapter 20

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

* * *

Chapter 20

Harry was right about Dumbledore. He was waiting when he got back from visiting Sirius.

"Mr. Potter, I want you in my office right away." Harry and his guards followed slowly along just to irritate the headmaster. "Please move along faster, I don't have all day."

Harry didn't change speed. "If you are too busy to deal with me, we could reschedule for a later time."

"Don't be cheeky. We are going to have our discussion now." The four of them finally made to Dumbledore's office and Harry sat down across from the desk from Dumbledore. "I can't allow you to disobey the rules whenever you feel like it. Neither Professor McGonagall nor I gave you permission to leave today. You knowingly and willfully broke the rules, and you are going to be punished for it."

"You know that you are on shaky ground with me. I was not going to miss the man that betrayed my parents receive the justice that he deserved. I was there on the invitation of the Minister for Magic and had her permission. I'm ready to leave Hogwarts and make it known that you are the reason. I'm tired of your games and I'm not going to play along any longer. Ever since Snape was forced to leave, you and your staff have done everything in your power to punish me, even after we agreed that you wouldn't."

"That is simply not true. You are running wild in this school, and it is going to stop. You are going to have detentions for the next month with Mr. Filch. You will learn who is in charge of Hogwarts."

"If that is all, I'm going back to my room and pack. I hope that you remember who owns the Daily Prophet, I can guarantee that you will not look good in the press."

"Don't threaten me, I won't stand for it."

"No threats from me. I intend to press charges against you for stopping the food, heat and water from Gryffindor. I'm also going to press charges for knowingly allowing the distribution of those photos during breakfast, you as much as gave your tacit approval for the damage that they did to me. I'm going to press charges for allowing me to be attacked while leaving the Great Hall while you and the staff did nothing to prevent physical harm to come to me. And I'm going to press charges for attempting to allow an assault of me to go unpunished and for not providing proper care for my injuries. I will also throw in the embarrassment that you caused me by not covering me after my assault. I'm sure that there will be more charges added to that list as I think of them. So don't start dictating to me what you are going to do, your job hangs in the balance. Now that I think about it, I'm going to pack my things and leave. I have nothing to gain by staying here."

With that, Harry and his guards left Dumbledore sitting there and headed towards Gryffindor tower to start packing.

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls Dobby?"

"Yes, I did, I would like you to go to my rooms and pack my things along with Tonks' and Allison's including our tents and wait for me to say goodbye to my friends. We are leaving Hogwarts tonight, I'm not sure where we're going yet, but I'll figure that out later."

"Harry, if you need someplace to stay for the night, I'm sure that my mom and dad will be happy to put us up." Tonks said.

"That sounds like a good idea. Tomorrow we can visit some houses and decide which one to use." Harry thought about it. "We can talk to your dad about pressing charges while we are there. Maybe we should go now and I'll send a message back with Dobby to my friends, explaining what I'm doing."

After that pronouncement, Harry, Tonks and Allison changed directions and headed to the entry to leave for Hogsmeade.

"Dobby."

"Master Harry calls Dobby?"

"We changed our minds, and we are leaving immediately. When you are through packing, please follow us on the way to Hogsmeade."

"Dobby called other elveses and wees is done packing."

"Good job. Please come with us until we find a place to stay tonight."

Harry and company had no problems making their way to the Three Broomsticks and on to Ted and Andromeda Tonks' house.

"Mr. and Mrs. Tonks, I want to thank you for inviting us into your home on such late notice. I appreciate your hospitality."

"Andromeda and I are pleased to have you, especially after filling our vault like you did. If you don't mind telling me, why are you not at Hogwarts?"

"It is a long story. Dumbledore pushed me too far and I left. I'm going to get a special dispensation from Amelia Bones tomorrow that will allow me to leave Hogwarts before I get my OWLs. I intend to hire private tutors to finish my education. There have been too many things happen to me since school began for me to continue to stay at Hogwarts." Harry went on to list those things that he told Dumbledore earlier. Ted was incensed that Harry had to experience the things that he had.

"Do you want me to press charges against Dumbledore and the rest?"

"I think that is a very good idea," Harry responded, "If you are available to join me, I'm going to talk to Remus Lupin tomorrow and have the Daily Prophet investigate the charges as well. I'm tired of trying to accept what living at Hogwarts does to me. I'm going to miss my friends, unless I can get them to follow me. I'm not sure if that will work out, but I'm going to try."

"Let's not discuss this anymore tonight, you are upset and you have a long day ahead of you tomorrow. Let's have supper, and then Andromeda will show you to your room."

"Could you lend me some parchment and quill? I would like to send a message to my friends letting them know that I'm alright and what is going on."

A short time later, after Dobby delivered the message to Hermione, they were served supper and made comfortable in spare rooms for the night.

~~oo000oo~~

_Hermione, _

_I went to the trial today and Pettigrew was found guilty of all the crimes that we knew about and a lot more. He was given an immediate Kiss by a dementor, but not before he gave enough testimony to clear Sirius completely. Sirius is free without a blemish on his record. Remus and I told him after the trial, and he is still in shock, he can hardly believe that it is true._

_The reason I am sending you this message is that even with Amelia's invitation, Dumbledore tried to give me a month of detentions for attending the trial. I have had enough and am leaving Hogwarts for good. I am going to press charges against him and the staff. I intend to hire tutors to finish my education away from Dumbledore and Hogwarts. I am not sure yet where I am going to be living, I will decide that tomorrow._

_I will be in touch when I know more. Don't worry about me. Tonks and Allison are with me and I'm safe; a lot safer than I was at Hogwarts, between the girls and Dumbledore, I don't know which is worse._

_Later, _

_Harry_

Hermione didn't know what to think. She understood that Dumbledore had gone too far, and that Harry was right in leaving, but she was going to miss her best friend. Now, however she needed to tell the rest of Gryffindor. As Harry had done many times in the past, Hermione climbed atop the table in the common room and asked for attention.

"I just received a message from Harry. Between the actions of the girls of Hogwarts, the Headmaster and the staff; Harry has left Hogwarts for good. He won't be coming back. I hope that those of you that have made his life miserable are happy." She stepped down from the table to utter silence.

~~oo000oo~~

Before breakfast the next morning, Harry called Dobby and had him bring the tent to the backyard of the Tonkses' house. He set it up and went to his study to search his master ledger for available properties from his various accounts. The descriptions weren't as thorough as he would have liked, but he was able to make a list. He asked for Dobby's opinion about the other elves' work on some of the houses. Between the two of them they narrowed the list down to less than a dozen possibilities. He didn't want to stay in the Death Eater homes that he repossessed, and he needed something with good wards and a lot of room. He was thinking that he wanted to fly on his broom and not be seen by neighbors. There were directions printed for each property and with Tonks' and Allison's help they could spend their afternoon looking.

At breakfast, the conversation took an unpleasant turn.

"Harry, I didn't want to bring this up last night, you were upset enough as it was, but you asked me to have a conversation with Playwitch magazine. I tried my best, but the photos that you are worried about are in the public realm, and they intend to publish them in next month's issue."

"Did you discuss with them what it would take to buy the magazine?"

"I didn't, are you sure that you want to spend that kind of money?"

"I don't want to be immodest, but I have plenty of money, and I don't want those photos published if I can help it. Would it be too much to ask you to negotiate a deal with them? I bought Witch Weekly to try and stop those photos from being printed, if I have to buy another magazine, I'll do it."

"What are the limits as to what I can spend?"

"No limits."

"You are really serious about this aren't you? It is none of my business, but can you afford all the bounties, buying the Prophet, and two magazines?"

"Don't worry, there is plenty more that I haven't touched. My parents left me very well off." Harry didn't mention that other than the Daily Prophet, he hadn't touched the Potter fortune. He had fleeced Crabbe, Goyle, Fudge and other crooks out of so much money that he could spend wildly for years and never touch the Potter money. That didn't include what used to be the Malfoy, Nott and other fortunes that were now in the Lichtenburg account.

"That's good to hear, I don't feel so bad about taking your money now."

"Don't feel bad, you helped me a great deal and I wanted to show my appreciation. The ministry is going to open soon and I would like to get started on my day. After I get done with my dispensation, I would like to go to the Daily Prophet and get that started."

Harry and Ted Tonks set a time to meet at the Daily Prophet and Harry left with Allison and Tonks to try to meet with Amelia Bones at the Ministry. The receptionist in the Minister's office was young, probably not too long out of Hogwarts.

"Hello, Ms. Armistead?" Harry read from the nameplate on her desk, "I was wondering if Minister Bones would have time to see me. My name is Harry Potter." The receptionist was staring far too low to see Harry's face. "Ms. Armistead? Would you see if the Minister has time to see me?"

"Oh… sorry, Mr. Potter, let me check." Harry gave a resigned sigh while Tonks and Allison were snickering at the reaction that he had received.

"Harry, please come in." Amelia greeted him, and they sat down for their discussion. "What may I do for you?"

"You once offered to give me a special dispensation to leave Hogwarts without my OWLs. I would like to take you up on your offer if it is still open."

"Of course, I can have it ready for you later today. May I ask what changed your mind?"

"Dumbledore tried to give me a month of detentions for attending Pettigrew's trial yesterday. If you add that to all the other things that he's done, then I'm tired of dealing with him. I have hired Ted Tonks to take Dumbledore and his staff to court, and I'm going to hire tutors to finish my education."

"A month's worth of detentions for an event where you were invited by the Minister for Magic is ridiculous. I understand your frustration. It seems that the old man is incapable of stopping his games, and you shouldn't have to put up with it."

"This is probably too much to ask, but I would like for you to consider something. I'm going to miss my friends and since I'm going to have tutors for my lessons, would you consider letting them join me?"

"That is a much broader problem. It can be shown that you have definite problems receiving fair treatment at Hogwarts, and your dispensation is warranted, but I'm not sure that I can say that about your friends. If you can give me examples of mistreatment, then I can feel justified in removing them from school."

"I understand, other than what all of Gryffindor suffered, they haven't been singled out for special maltreatment. Maybe I can have them join me after they take their OWLs in June."

"If anything comes up between now and then, please let me know and I'll take another look. We also need to discuss your protection. Having Aurors Tonks and Jeffries guard you was to protect you at Hogwarts. If you are not going to be there, then it will be difficult to justify having aurors guarding a private citizen."

"Madam Minister, if I might ask," Tonks interjected, "would you consider giving me an open ended leave of absence. I could continue to work for Harry as long as he needs me and then return to the force. That is, if Harry wants me." Harry was nodding his approval.

"I would ask the same," Allison added.

"I can agree to that, provided that it doesn't extend past two years. Is there anything else?"

"Thank you, Amelia. I appreciate the waiver and the leave of absence for Tonks and Allison. I owe you a big favor for what you have done for me today."

"You don't owe me anything. I'm happy to do it."

~~oo000oo~~

"You've left Hogwarts? What happened now?" Remus was a bit shocked. Harry was in his office along with Ted Tonks and his guards.

"I just couldn't keep fighting Dumbledore every day. Getting a month's worth of detentions for attending the trial yesterday was just the last straw." Harry explained.

"My client intends to press charges and pursue the matter through the legal system. I will be filing the necessary paperwork later today. The list of grievances is long and there are numerous witnesses to each event. It will be easy to prove that Harry has been irrevocably damaged by the actions within Hogwarts." Ted Tonks interjected.

"If I can get a copy of your filings this afternoon, we will be able to have it in tomorrow morning's paper. But for now it would be good if you could meet with one of my reporters to tell your side of this issue." Remus was going to see that Harry got the coverage that he needed. He didn't like what Harry had gone through, and Dumbledore needed to know that.

"If we could meet the reporter now, that would be good. I need to visit some houses today and find a new place to live."

"It's too bad that Sirius has started the remodeling, I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron myself. Good luck on your search."

Harry, Ted and the guards met with Archibald Withers, one of the lead reporters for the Daily Prophet and spent over an hour and a half explaining what happened at Hogwarts and why he decided to leave. Withers told them that he would investigate the charges, but it would have to wait until he could interview those involved, likely over the holidays. In the meantime he would look for evidence to back up the claims that Harry made. Harry remembered something that Hermione had told him. He was reluctant to mention it but thought that it should be discussed.

"I should mention that when I was found after my assault, a student by the name of Colin Creevey took a lot of photos of me while I was nude, tied to the bed and bleeding. They are very graphic, and I don't want them published under any circumstances, but they will help to prove what I'm saying is true.

"I don't think that we are going to need them, but I think that we should have them in our possession in order to stop Dumbledore from using them in some way. I don't know how he could publish them, but why take a chance."

"I'll have Hermione talk with Colin and make a deal to buy them, along with any negatives. Is that all we need to do right now? I need to find a place to live this afternoon." Both gentlemen agreed that he was through and he could be on his way.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry, Tonks and Allison went to Gringotts. The master ledger mentioned that he owned many properties, and he wanted to know more about them. Harry had Tonks and Allison wait outside Ragnok's office while he went inside.

"Good afternoon, Harry, I heard you have left Hogwarts. I'm sorry to hear that you are having such problems."

"Thank you, Ragnok, I finally had enough, and I'm ready to do something else. I'll need to have tutors to help me with my studies, but that can wait until I get settled in a house somewhere. I looked in the master ledger and found several properties that look good, but I don't know what the warding is like. How fast can Gringotts put up the best wards for me?"

"It will take a team of goblins at least one full day to construct our best wards, but we can get simple wards up in two hours. If you are looking to spend tonight in a house you might have simple wards established and carry an emergency portkey in case trouble finds you."

"That sounds wonderful. I'll spend the rest of the day looking for a house. Is there a way to contact a warding team after hours so that we can get something established before tonight? I'll be happy to pay overtime, whether they are used or not."

"Let me give you a message stone. These are not known by very many humans, but I'll set it so that when you touch it with your wand the team will come to you. I ask that you tell no one about it."

"Does that include my guards?"

"I would prefer that they don't know. You can tell them that you have a way to contact the team, just not what it is."

"I would be happy to do that. I always appreciate your help."

"If you give me a moment, I'll have your stone ready for you."

~~oo000oo~~

"What do you think of this one Harry?" Allison asked. They had been looking most of the afternoon and this was the sixth place that they had looked at.

"It is really big: it is a small castle really. But it looks cold and drafty to me, I guess the elves can keep it warm for us. I was hoping for more of a manor instead, something large but a little more modern than a castle."

"Let's take a look at this one on your list." Tonks said and she side-along apparated Harry again while Allison followed behind. The property was called Rivenwood in southern Wales and sat on a high bank of a river. The manor was huge. It was three stories high and covered an enormous area. There were a least a hundred rooms and the house and grounds were very well tended, there was an extensive formal garden that would be magnificent during the blooming times of the year. According to the master ledger this home was from the Warwick estate and hadn't been lived in for 175 years. The manor looked so new that it almost sparkled; Harry wondered how it was kept in such good condition. Harry walked up to the two massive front doors and placed his hand on the knob, a small tingle passed through his arm, very much like claiming a Gringotts vault. The doors swung open to a magnificent foyer with dual carved marble staircases and gleaming floors and walls. The foyer was filled by a vast number of very excited elves.

"Master has returned. Oh, happy day, our master has come." There were squeals of delight and a lot of jumping elves.

"Hello, I'm Harry Potter, the current Lord Warwick, and I'm happy to meet you. Can you tell me who is the head elf?"

"I is the head elf. My name is Goldy."

"Thank you, Goldy, my name is Harry Potter and these ladies are Allison Jeffries and Tonks. They are acting as my bodyguards."

"Goldy bees happy to meet yous. Wees be waiting our entire lives to serve Lord Warwick and nows yous has come. Wees be so happy." The elves started dancing even harder.

"I'm very proud to be here and see how well you have done in maintaining this manor. You all have done a fantastic job." The elves started crying and jumped up and down until Harry was almost dizzy. Tonks and Allison looked on in amazement. They had never seen elves behave like this. They had seen how excited Harry's other elves were but this was unbelievable.

"Goldy, I'm confused. I have other house elves and they come when I called them, I didn't know that you even existed. I'm so happy that you do, but I'm wondering why you didn't come too."

"Wees are bound to this house, Lord Warwick, until yous touched the door and claimed the house, wees couldn't come. Wees are bound to you now."

"How many elves are there?"

"There is seventy-four elveses and four little elveses, Lord Warwick."

"Please don't call me Lord Warwick, my name is Harry. My other elves insist on calling me 'Master Harry'. I would prefer to be called 'Harry' but if you have to, 'Master Harry' is alright.

"Yes, sir, Master Harry. Whats can us elveses do for yous, has Master Harry come to stay?"

"Yes, I have, I would like to stay here with my friends. I'll likely be having guests occasionally. Right now I want the house to be properly warded for my safety. I'll call a team of goblins here in a few minutes and have them get started." Harry looked at Allison and Tonks. "I would like you to keep secret that I'm Lord Warwick; that kind of information doesn't need to be made public." They nodded their acceptance. "Would you two like to look around? You can have any bedroom that you can find, including the master suite. I intend to use my tent while I'm here, any room will work for that. Or maybe you would prefer your tent?"

"No, the tent is very nice but this place is magnificent." We will be happy to stay anywhere you want us." Tonks responded.

"Maybe we should find rooms close together so that we can deal with emergencies better. I'll let you two make your choice and I'll take a room nearby to pitch my tent." Harry left the two women to explore the manor with the help of the elves, while he went into the ballroom and summoned the goblins. The goblins came immediately and started work, Harry was paying them a lot of money for the best wards possible and they weren't going to waste any time in providing them.

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls Dobby?"

"Dobby, I think that I have found a new home, at least for a while. There are seventy-four elves here to take care of the place. There is an elf called Goldy that has done a wonderful job of directing the other elves to take care of this place. I don't want to hurt her feelings by changing anything she does, but I would like you to stay with me when you aren't directing the other elves on their duties."

"Dobby can doos that. Dobby is happy to serve Master Harry."

"Would you bring my things here? I especially need my tent." With a pop Dobby was gone and in another pop he was back with the jungle tent. Harry placed the tent on the floor of the ballroom and tapped it with his wand. With the lion's roar it set itself up and Harry went inside. He went to his study and searched his trunk until he found his Firebolt.

It had been so long since he had last used it that he couldn't wait to give it a try. Harry went back out of the main doors, mounted his broom and kicked off. It was cool and crisp, but it felt wonderful. He gained altitude and took a look around. The property stretched at least a quarter mile to the main gates and gatehouse and looked to be a mile in the other directions. The river was swift except for right behind the manor where it deepened and slowed down. It looked like a fun place for boating or swimming in the summer time. He looked for a quidditch pitch and couldn't find one. He did find a large number of greenhouses, they must grow the flowers for the garden there but it looked like there were too many for that. He was going to ask Goldy what they were for. He found a vegetable garden near the greenhouses as well.

He flew around the exterior of the manor and it was beautiful from all directions. Within walking distance he found four guest cottages, at least he thought that was what they were, each was larger than the house he grew up in with the Dursleys. The road onto the estate from the main gate was brick and must have carried the carriages of the day. He found a large barn where the horses must have been kept. He was going to check it out to see if there were still horses there. It might be fun to learn how to ride. Next to the barn was what must be a carriage house with more living quarters. He didn't have any idea what to do with so many extra homes but they may come in handy in the future.

The manor and homes were surrounded by forest and what seemed like trails running through them. He didn't see any creatures there, magical or not, but there had to at least be deer. The entire estate was surrounded by a high brick wall that ran for miles, and it was all in perfect condition. Harry had wondered what all the elves would do to stay busy, but now he wondered how they could keep up with all the work. He was thinking about asking Goldy if she needed more help, but that might hurt her feelings. He knew that he had a lot more homes to look at someday, but he couldn't imagine one more grand than this one. He knew that he would be very happy here.

~~oo000oo~~

"Albus."

"Minerva, what can I do for you?"

"Potter didn't show up to my class today. I checked with the other teachers and he didn't go to any of their classes either. First he took yesterday off and now today as well. What are you going to do about it?"

"I had a conversation with him when he returned yesterday. I assigned detentions for him but he said that he was going to pack and leave Hogwarts. I believed it to be a bluff on his part and that he will cool off and see reason. Have you checked his rooms?"

"No, after checking with the others, I came straight here."

"Perhaps we should investigate further."

Dumbledore and McGonagall went to Gryffindor tower and caught some of the students heading for supper.

"Can any of you tell me if Mr. Potter is in the common room or his rooms?"

Ginny Weasley spoke up. "Harry has left Hogwarts for good. Hermione got a message from him that between you and Hogwarts' girls he had no reason to stay. He hasn't come back to Gryffindor since he left yesterday morning."

"Did he say where he was going?"

"No, he didn't."

"Is Miss Granger here?"

"She is in the common room."

Dumbledore and McGonagall entered the common room and approached Hermione.

"Miss Granger, might we have a word with you?"

Hermione said nothing but reached in her bag and handed the message to Dumbledore. He read it and handed it on to McGonagall.

"Do you have any idea where he went?"

"No, and even if I did I wouldn't tell you. You have driven my best friend from Hogwarts and I'm going to leave just as soon as I can. Is there anything else? I would like to go to supper."

"That will be all."

Hermione got up and left quickly.

"Albus, what are we going to do? This is sure to get into the paper and it won't put us in favorable light."

"With Harry Potter owning the Daily Prophet, it will be less than favorable. I can only imagine what is going to be in tomorrow's paper. Remus has not been cooperative recently. He is definitely going to print Harry's side of the situation."

"What are we going to tell the students?"

"I'm sure they already know."

~~oo000oo~~

As Harry continued to explore his new home, a flash of white streaked across his field of vision, he turned his head to see Hedwig flying along side of him. He turned to fly next to her and talked to her to calm her down for leaving her behind again. He was going to remember this trick of flying while apologizing; he wasn't getting pecked or slapped with her wings.

Harry was getting very cold; he had been flying for nearly an hour and the sun was starting to go down. Harry and Hedwig returned to the manor and entered the main foyer when he was attacked by two very unhappy women.

"Where were you?! We have been looking all over for you and have been worried sick. We are supposed to be guarding you and can't do that if we don't know where you are. Don't ever do that again!" Tonks was not at all happy. Both of them continued to berate him for another ten minutes before he could get a word in.

"I'm sorry for not telling you, I really should have, and it was my mistake. I just wanted to go flying and see what this place looks like from the air. You wouldn't believe everything that I saw. I wondered what all the elves did around here but after seeing it all, I wonder how they manage with so few elves. This place is incredible." Harry went on to describe what he saw and they were very impressed. They could hardly wait to have a look for themselves. "Do you think that we can have supper now? I worked up an appetite."

"Where do we go to eat?"

"Goldy?"

"Master Harry calls Goldy?"

"I'm hungry and would like to have supper."

"I'm sorry, Master Harry, us elves has never cooked for a human before. Wees don't know hows."

"That is alright Goldy, I'll take care of it. Maybe if you watch and help, you can learn, but there is no hurry to do so." Harry tried to comfort a clearly unhappy elf. "Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls Dobby, what can Dobby doos for yous?"

"Dobby the elves here have spent their entire lives never having served anyone other than themselves. They don't know how to cook for us. Do you think that you can fix our supper and spend time with them showing them how to fix our meals?"

"Dobby can doos that... Master Harry?

"Yes, Dobby?"

"One of the elveses that yous bonded with used to work for her master's restaurant. When Kippy's master died, the restaurant closed, and Kippy was given clothes. Kippy would like to work cooking again. Wouldst you want Kippy to work here?"

"If it would make her happy, I would love to have her work here." Dobby popped away, and then there were two pops a few seconds later.

"I's Kippy, Master Harry. Dobby says that I's can cook for yous?"

"I would be very happy to have you cook for me. Can you start now? The three of us are hungry."

"Kippy is so happy. Kippy will make the bestest meal yous has ever had." She and Goldy popped away to get started. Within moments Goldy returned.

"Goldy, I don't want to eat in the grand dining room, do you know where there is a smaller table that would be more comfortable for the three of us?"

"Goldy knows and will shows yous."

Goldy led them to a room down the hall from the formal rooms, next to a small lounge. This looked like a good place to spend some time in the future. The manor was so large and grand, that it was nice just to find a cozier place to live day to day. Tomorrow was going to be a day of exploring the house and grounds. Tonight he was going to get his tent set up and relax.


	21. Chapter 21

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

* * *

Chapter 21

"Sirius."

"Pup, Remus told me what you did. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I no longer have to put up with Dumbledore, and I found a great place to live. I'm having the best wards erected around the estate, and I have Tonks and Allison here to protect me. I can hardly wait to show it to you."

"Do you need your elves back to help you get your house in shape?"

"No, there are an incredible amount of elves here, seventy-four in fact, and they have kept this place looking like new for a very long time."

"You have seventy-four elves working on one house? What are they all doing?"

"I took my broom and flew over the estate earlier. You won't believe the size of the manor and the number of guest houses. There are miles of brick walls to maintain and miles of trails out through the forests. There are greenhouses and gardens that never end. There is just too much to tell you about, you will have to see it. Believe me, all the elves are kept busy" Harry paused for a second. "How is your house coming along, do you like what has been done?"

"Yeah, it is great, you won't recognize it when you see it. I did three rooms over the second time, I thought that they looked too much like they did before. I'll start buying new furniture tomorrow and then I'll be done. I'll be finished with your elves either tomorrow or the next day. I never could have done it without your help."

"I'm really glad that it worked out. Now that you are done remodeling, I'll have to get you the proxies so that you can take over the Wizengamot."

"What?!"

"I found that there are more seats than I first thought. I don't have a final count yet, but you will have a lot of power, far more than anyone else."

"That is a lot of responsibility. Are you sure that you want me to do this?"

"I'm positive. I want there to be change so that there will never be anyone else like Cornelius Fudge."

"I'll do my best. What are you going to do now?"

"I intend to explore the estate and get settled in. There are a lot of things around here that I want to know more about. In a few days I want to find tutors to help me with my OWLs and see if I can pass the tests as soon as possible. I'm hoping that, with individual tutoring, I can get through the OWLs and NEWTs sooner than normal."

"It seems that you have things under control for the moment. Is there anything that I can do?"

"Not that I can think of. I want you to see this place soon, but until then, I don't think that I need anything."

With a few more pleasantries Harry and Sirius concluded their evening talk and Harry went to his jungle pool for a good night's sleep.

It was nearly 9 o'clock before Harry woke. He hadn't slept well the night before at the Tonks' house, and he made up for it sleeping next to the pool again. He got dressed in casual clothes, he didn't have to dress in school robes in the future and that was a strange feeling. The thoughts of having Hogwarts behind him made him sad and happy at the same time. He was sad to leave the first place that he truly felt at home. There would always be a part of him that thought that he belonged there. Another part of him was glad it was over, no more fighting Dumbledore, the students and the rest.

He was going to miss many of the students of Gryffindor, he didn't know how he was going to find people his own age to spend time with. Sure, Tonks and Allison were only a few years older, but he considered them adults, and it just wasn't the same. He was not going to miss the girls of Hogwarts. The harassment from them was more than he could handle, and he was partially at fault for that. The photos of him were to blame for most of it, but there was also the whole Boy-Who-Lived thing along with his wealth. With all three components, he couldn't hope that he would ever be treated normally. With just the Boy-Who-Lived thing he was mostly stared at and made the center of attention. That was bad enough, even though that was uncomfortable; he got used to it and could mostly ignore it. With the photos, he was never going to be able to ignore it. It would plague him for years to come. He screwed up by mixing up the negatives, publishing one photo that went much further than he wanted and pretty much ruined his chances at a normal life. He was very happy that he nearly bankrupted Voldemort, but the cost was much higher than he thought it would be. He was away from his friends and there was no way of going back to normal.

Harry left the tent to find Tonks and Allison waiting for him.

"Good morning you two, have you been to breakfast yet?"

"No, we waited for you. We wanted to stay close until the wards were done. There is no telling what might happen."

"I'm sorry that I took so long. If I had known that you were waiting for me I would have gotten up sooner."

"That's okay, we will get our schedules adjusted as time goes on. Let's go to breakfast, I'm hungry." Tonks said.

They all walked downstairs to the small dining room where they had eaten the night before. Supper was one of the best meals they ever had; Kippy had came through with her promise of giving them 'the bestest meal' they ever had. Breakfast turned out to be just as good or better. Harry, Tonks and Allison praised Kippy for the job that she had done until she had tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks.

"Dobby."

"Master Harry calls for Dobby?"

"Would you go somewhere and get us copies of the Daily Prophet? I want to see if the article was printed."

Dobby popped away and returned with copies for each of them.

_HARRY POTTER DRIVEN FROM HOGWARTS_

_By Archibald Withers_

_Harry Potter has left Hogwarts after the treatment that he received became too much to bear. In a long interview, he blamed Headmaster Albus Dumbledore for creating an environment of scorn, abuse and violence toward him. It started as soon as the school year began when Harry led a revolt against a ministry-planted Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. The woman in question was unfit by any standards for teaching the course. She didn't have a NEWT in the subject and had only passed her OWL with a grade of 'A'. She had been placed there by our disgraced former Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, for political reasons and was hated by the entire student body. Harry led a peaceful revolt that resulted in her leaving Hogwarts. Harry reports that Headmaster Dumbledore was very upset that Harry had taken it upon himself to remove a professor and that it was not the job of a student to perform such a function. Harry pointed out in the interview, that it was the entire student body that joined together to accomplish what the headmaster failed to do._

_The problems continued and became critical when the students decided to have Harry, once again, lead an effort to remove a Death Eater from the faculty. The Death Eater in question went before the Wizengamot and would have been convicted if not for the efforts of Albus Dumbledore. Upon the Death Eater's return to his teaching post, he immediately banned Harry from classes for the rest of the year, leaving Harry without a means to learn a core subject. With the strong urging of the students, more civil disobedience was planned and executed to remove the Death Eater from the school. Headmaster Dumbledore spitefully refused to feed the students of Gryffindor as well as intentionally denied heat and water to Gryffindor tower. Ultimately it was up to Harry Potter to provide for the basic needs of his school mates, to the great displeasure of the headmaster._

_More spiteful actions by the headmaster and faculty continued by…_

The front page article continued onto pages two and three. It fully explained, from Harry's point of view, all the troubles that he encountered during the school year. The sexual assault was more graphic than he wanted to see, but it accurately described the event without being too lurid. Overall Harry was very pleased with what he read.

~~oo000oo~~

The Great Hall was filled with owls for the headmaster and staff. Most of them were howlers that made the noise level so high the students' ears were hurting. Molly Weasley's howler was clearly heard above them all. It was impossible to carry on a conversation in the hall, so most of the students grabbed toast and other foods and left the commotion behind them. Once they were away from the noise, Harry's friends gathered on the Grand Staircase to discuss what they read.

"Hermione, what did you think of the article? I didn't see anything that wasn't true." Ginny asked.

"I think the article was well written from Harry's point of view. It surely upset enough people to create the mass of howlers that we just witnessed. I don't know if Dumbledore is going to be able to get his viewpoint out nearly as well. With Harry owning the Daily Prophet, it is fairer than it has ever been, but it would take a miracle for the headmaster to explain away these charges. Most of them have a lot of witnesses that will support Harry's allegations."

"Can we do anything to help Harry?" Neville asked.

"I can't think of anything. If Harry needs us, I'm sure that he'll ask."

~~oo000oo~~

Voldemort was gleeful. There was a permanent wedge between Dumbledore and Potter. Potter was no longer at Hogwarts and was vulnerable. He just needed to be found. The Dark Lord used the dark mark to call everyone to his side.

"I want Potter found. He is no longer protected within Hogwarts and should be easy to find. I want all of you looking for him and I don't want to hear about your failures. If you fail me, you will die. Bring me Potter."

"Master, do you know of places to look? We don't want to miss anything that is obvious to you."

"Crucio! I don't need to tell you how to do your jobs. Get out there and find Potter!"

The Death Eaters left, thinking that the reward from Potter was better than the abuse from their master.

~~oo000oo~~

"Mr. Potter?" It was one of the goblins working on the wards.

"Yes… Grimfang wasn't it?"

"Thank you for remembering. I need to tell you that, due to the enormity of this estate, I have had to call in more teams of warders, and it will take at least four days to complete. There have to be ward stones placed closely together for miles around the estate and this will take a lot of time."

"Will I be safe in the meantime?"

"You will be safe once we are done, but there is a small risk now."

"I understand. Please continue with what you are doing. I'll be happy to pay more for the extra teams of warders. I just want the job done right; if it takes a little longer then I'll just have to make adjustments."

"We will be done as soon as we can."

Harry left Grimfang as he looked for Tonks and Allison. He explained what the goblin had told him and waited for suggestions.

"I think that you would normally be safe enough but with today's news article, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will know that you are no longer in Hogwarts and are more vulnerable. I expect that he has everyone out looking for you, which is a big cause for concern." Allison reported.

"What if we had more help? I think that I have an idea." The three of them went to the study in the manor and Harry took out parchment and quill.

_Mr. Moody,_

_As you may have read in the Daily Prophet, I have left Hogwarts. I have found a new place to live and I'm having Gringotts build their best and strongest wards. Unfortunately the warding job will not be complete for a few days. I have guards, but we suspect that the Death Eaters are looking for me in full force. I was wondering if you could bring some of your people to help secure this place until the wards are complete. _

_I don't want to give my location to you in this message. If this idea is agreeable to you, please go to Gringotts and ask for Nearfang, he will know where to find me._

_Harry_

Hedwig flew to his shoulder without being asked. He wondered how she always knew when he needed her. He tied the letter to her leg and sent her on her way. Harry wrote another message for Nearfang to expect Mad-Eye and gave him the location. Harry had Dobby deliver the message to Gringotts, and all he could do now was wait.

~~oo000oo~~

"Mister Moody" Harry greeted the grizzled old retired auror. Tonks and Allison were nearby.

"Potter, there is no 'Mister', you can either call me Mad-Eye or Alastor. What is the situation around here?" Mad-Eye had responded to Harry's message, went to Gringotts and arrived at the estate in less than three hours.

"As you know, I have left Hogwarts and Dumbledore's control. I want you to keep secret from him where I am and what I'm doing. If you read this morning's paper you will understand why."

"I'll keep your secret. I don't like what you described in the paper. Albus stepped over the line several times." Moody continued. "Now what is going on, and what do you want me to do?"

"This is a large estate that the goblins are working very hard to protect. Until they are finished, in about four days, we only have a few mild wards that provide us some protection. We are still vulnerable to attack, especially since it's likely that Voldemort has every one of his people out looking for me. I would feel safer if there were more protection."

"I'm glad that you called me. I have gone through the money that you gave me, and I'll need more to keep my people working." Mad-Eye explained, "Guarding you will be no problem. We can take care of this and enjoy some downtime while doing so. How many people should I bring?"

"You can bring as many as you want. How many are there anyway?"

"I have eighty-seven working for me night and day. So far we have eliminated nineteen Death Eaters."

"That is terrific news. If you think that your troops can relax here and could use some needed time off, then bring them all. I have over a hundred rooms here in the manor with four guest houses, a carriage house, a gatehouse and several magical tents that can hold your people. I also have a lot of house elves who can take care of them."

"You have yourself a deal. I can have some of them here immediately with the rest coming in the next few hours."

"Sounds perfect, I'll also have Varnok make available another three million galleons."

"I like you, kid" Moody said with as much of a smile as he ever gave.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry went alone into the study for the manor and called for his elves.

"Goldy? Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls for Dobby?"

"I's is here, Master Harry."

"I'm going to need your help along with the rest of the elves who aren't busy. I have lot of soldiers that are coming to stay for a few days until the wards are done. It is possible that I'm not as safe as I could be, and I'm going to bring in a large group of people to help out. I expect that the manor, guest houses, carriage house and gatehouse will be full. You might want to make the extra tents available as well. I would like for the elves to help take care of everyone."

"Wees can doos that."

"Dobby, I don't think that Kippy is going to be able to keep up with feeding ninety people, and I would like to have more elves to help her. Could you find more elves to help out?"

"Dobby can finds elveses easy."

"That reminds me… I never knew that Goldy and these other elves existed… with all the other estates, are there more elves waiting for me?"

"Oh yes, Master Harry. Theys bees lots and lots more elves."

"Lots and lots?"

"Lots and lots."

"Okay… I'll let you take care of helping Kippy. Do either of you have any questions for me?"

"No, sir, Master Harry"

"Dobby, if I ask you to listen for someone else's call, can you respond to them?"

"Dobby can doos that."

"Thank you, Dobby, that will be all."

Harry wasn't sure how he was going to travel to each of his properties to claim the estates and the elves. He couldn't use Tonks and Allison without them learning of all the other titles and money. Maybe he could learn to apparate and do it himself. He would have to talk to Amelia about an exemption.

~~oo000oo~~

Tonks, Allison and Harry were enjoying another meal from Kippy. She was outdoing herself every time; that elf really liked to cook.

"Tonks, Allison… I trust Moody to pick out good people, but they are mercenaries and are paid to fight for whatever side they are on. I feel much more comfortable with you protecting me. Can I have you be my primary defense? I would feel much happier knowing that you were standing between me and them."

"That is my idea as well, Harry, let's move all three of us into the master bedroom. You can stay in your tent, while we can take turns guarding you while the other one of us sleeps." Tonks said. Allison agreed.

"I think that I'll ask Dobby to stay with me as well."

Within a very short time, the tent was set up in the master suite and Tonks and Allison were moved in as well. Dobby was going to be nearby in case of trouble and each of them was wearing their emergency goblin portkey. They all trusted Moody to pick good people but with the wealth displayed all around them, they weren't sure how it would affect those coming to help. It was better to take precautions.

Harry thought that he would visit the incoming soldiers later. Now he wanted to enter the study in the tent and get some tasks accomplished.

_Hermione,_

_I hope that all is going well at school. I can't tell you how much I miss you and Ron, as well as the rest of my friends. _

_I have found a great place to live; it is huge and is in perfect condition. It has been in the family for a very long time, but no one has visited for almost two centuries. There are a lot of house elves that have taken perfect care of the place. Before you get upset, you wouldn't believe how happy and excited they got when I arrived. I am used to excitable elves, but this was beyond anything that I could imagine._

_The manor is huge, and there are extensive grounds, gardens and a huge forest as well. The only thing missing is a quidditch pitch, and I will add that later. I have Tonks and Allison staying with me and I have taken further steps to protect my safety. I am as safe as I can be._

_Would you do me a favor? You told me that Colin took a lot of photos of me after my assault. I am uncomfortable having those photos around. I don't know what Dumbledore could do with them, but I would feel much better having them in my control. Would you negotiate with Colin and buy the photos and negatives. Don't try to bring his price down, give him everything that he asks for and more. I just want those photos and for Colin to be happy._

_When you get them, would you call for Dobby, I will let him know to listen for your call, and he can bring the photos to me. _

_With what has happened, I know that things will never return to normal. I know that my actions led to this situation, but I miss my old life. Now I wish that you and the others were here with me. I haven't hired the tutors yet, but it would be great to have other people learn with me. I asked Minister Bones about granting a special dispensation to you and my other friends. She told me that she wouldn't do it unless you had been singled out for unfair treatment. It looks like I won't have anyone to learn with until after the OWLs. If you can think of any other way, please let me know. I miss all of you and want to spend time with you._

_I have asked Hedwig to wait for a reply, let me know how things are going._

_Harry_

Harry called Hedwig and sent the message to Hermione. Next he wanted to work on the proxies. He went through the master ledger and found where the Wizengamot seats of the Death Eaters went as well as the debts that were uncollectable. They were scattered over several of his accounts and he sent letters to each of his account managers and Varnok to sell the seats and debts to the Potter account. Since the debts were virtually worthless, he had the Potter account buy them for ten percent of the face value. He didn't want to use too much of the Potter account funds. Then he went through each of his accounts and prepared the forms to give Sirius proxies to even more seats. When he got through, he gave Sirius control over twenty-two seats in the Wizengamot. That would be an unbeatable voting block, and they would be able to push through almost any legislation they wanted. Sirius was either going to be the most loved or most hated man in the Wizengamot. Harry sent the forms and requests to Nearfang and Varnok. He would send the actual proxies on to Sirius tomorrow.

_Amelia,_

_It seems that I am always asking for favors, and I have another one to ask of you. Because my life has been threatened so often by Voldemort, I would like to have another means of escape. Would it be possible for me to learn to apparate and take my test early? I can hire tutors to guide me through the process so I can be safe. Please let me know if this is possible._

_In other news, I have obtained the debts and Wizengamot seats for the Death Eaters that were involved in the gold deal in Africa. I also asked some friends that I made over the summer to give me their Wizengamot proxies as well. All together, I will give Sirius Black twenty-two votes to add to his own tomorrow. I look forward to working with you and Sirius to accomplish real change to our society and avoid the corruption that was so rampant with Fudge._

_As you know, I left Hogwarts and have found a new place to live. The property has been in my family for hundreds of years and I am having the wards upgraded to the best that Gringotts can produce. After everything is done I would like for you to visit and see my new home; I am very proud of it._

_I will soon be looking for tutors for my classes. If you have recommendations, I would appreciate you letting me know._

_Harry_

With the messages all sent, Harry gathered Tonks and Allison and went to find Moody and the mercenaries that would be staying there. He was visiting and welcoming his new guards when an owl swooped down and landed on the back of a chair next to him. Moody did his usual paranoid thing and examined it with every spell that he knew before finally allowing Harry to touch it.

_Harry,_

_You asked me to meet with a person about the journals we discussed. I have been unable to make arrangements until now. I am to meet her in my office at 4 o'clock today. Since you are no longer at Hogwarts, I thought that you might like to join me. Bring your cloak, we may want to use it._

_Remus_

Harry discussed the idea of his going and about security on the trip. Mad-Eye insisted that he go along to make sure that it wasn't some kind of a trap. Harry thought that Mad-Eye might be valuable as a source of experience. He didn't know what he was going to buy, and Moody might know more about it.

Harry sent the owl back with confirmation that he was coming with Moody and his guards and that he would be there early. After changing into nice robes, Harry and the others left for the Daily Prophet.

"Remus."

"Harry."

"I think that you know Mad-Eye and Tonks, but this is Allison Jeffries my other babysitter."

"Pleased to meet you, Allison," Remus said. "The woman with the journals seems to be very nervous. It has taken a while for her to agree to meet here. She thinks that she is only meeting with me. I didn't have time to tell her that you would be joining me. I think that she will be okay with you, Harry, but if we add three more people to the group, she may get scared and leave. With Mad-Eye here, I suggest that he sit in the corner with the cloak while the other two of you wait outside the door in the reception area."

"That seems like a good plan, Lupin. I'll keep a wand on her at all times." Moody said.

"I don't have a problem with it either. I don't want to scare her off. Do you still have access to my funds? I forgot to bring anything with me."

"I have what we need. We just need to see if what she has is worth anything," Remus stated. "I think that we should all take our places in case that she is early."

Everyone did as Remus suggested and right on time a woman was announced and let into Remus' office carrying a small bag. Moody scanned the bag with his eye and found nothing but books.

"Good afternoon, my name is Remus Lupin and you know Harry Potter. Harry was able to join us today, I hope that you don't mind."

"My name is Evelyn Douglas, and I'm happy make both of your acquaintances. Do you have the money?" She took out five journals and placed them on the table. There were multiple bookmarks in each of them.

"I can give you a bank draft if what you have is worth what you say it is. Could you give us the history of these journals and how they came to be in your possession?"

"My father was Evan Rosier, he was a dorm mate of Tom Riddle when he was in Hogwarts. By sharing the dorm they were as close as Tom Riddle ever allowed anyone to be. My father was Riddle's first follower and helped to establish how the dark mark and other things worked. My father was not a nice man, these journals are filled with horrible things that he did. Despite what he did, I still loved him. During the first war, Tom Riddle didn't like anyone knowing too much about himself, and he killed my father. Riddle didn't know that he kept journals. There are many things in them that Riddle would like to keep secret, more than just the dark mark. I'm here today to sell you these journals because I'll have to leave the country before Riddle learns that the journals exist and that I sold them to you. I want to see that Riddle gets what is coming to him, but I also need to get away."

"May we see two of the journals?" She handed two of them across the table and Harry and Remus opened them to bookmarked pages. They studied different pages for at least fifteen minutes. Both Harry and Remus nodded at each other.

"Ms. Douglas, I believe that these journals are all that you say they are and more," Harry said, "I have stated that I would pay fifty thousand galleons for each of the questions that were published in the paper plus more for items that I didn't know about and were useful. There is a lot of information here that exceeds what I offered to pay, and I would like to offer you more. Would you take a million galleons for these journals?"

The woman in question had a stunned look on her face. "I was expecting you to try to buy them for very little money. I can't believe what I'm hearing. I would be thrilled to sell them to you for a million galleons, on the condition that you do everything possible to kill that creature that used to be Tom Riddle."

"Remus, please write out a bank draft for Ms. Douglas." Harry then turned his attention to the woman, "Ms. Douglas, do you need any help in getting out of the country?"

"I need to sell my house and furniture and close my bank account and then I'll be ready."

"I want to see you safely away for your peace of mind. I'll pay a fair value for your house and contents today, if you go to Gringotts and ask for Nearfang, he will take you to Varnok, and the money will be waiting for you. He can also turn this bank draft into whatever type of cash that you want to travel with. Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

"You have done more than I dreamed possible. You have been so nice that I won't even mention your photos." She grinned as she left the office.

Harry sighed and walked to the door and motioned for Tonks and Allison to enter. Moody took off the cloak and the five of them discussed the journals.

"From what I can tell, these look like the real deal. I need to look at them closely, but these are a gold mine from what I have seen," Remus exclaimed.

"Potter, I think that this is going to devastate Voldemort. We need to think about the best way to use them. We need to study them and make plans." Moody seemed excited.

"Remus, can you help make five more copies of each of them? I would like for each of us, plus Sirius, to have copies so we can study them and learn as much as we can. I would also like this information to stay with the six of us. I don't want any possibility that Moldyshorts will learn about it."

"I agree with you, Potter, the fewer people that know about it the better. I can help Lupin make copies. I'll bring them back to the manor when I'm through, although it will be quite late."

"I learned the copy spell last summer, and I can help as well. I need to let Nearfang and Varnok know about the money I just spent before I start. Remus, can I borrow some parchment and a quill?" Harry received both and wrote a note to be taken to Gringotts. "Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls for Dobby?"

"Would you take these messages to Nearfang at Gringotts for me?"

"Dobby will doos it right away," and with a pop, he was gone.

"Remus, I would like for you and Sirius to visit, maybe after you have read some of the journals, so we can all get together and discuss them. Maybe lunch or supper tomorrow will work?"

"Give me until tomorrow evening, I have a lot of meetings tomorrow, and I'll find time in between to study as much as I can." Remus said.

"Okay, how about you let Sirius know, and we will plan for supper at 7 o'clock at the manor. Does that work?" Everyone agreed, and the three of them got started copying journals. Later Harry left with three sets of journals along with Tonks and Allison. The war had just taken a turn for the better.


	22. Chapter 22

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Author's note: Two more chapters after this

Chapter 22

At Hogwarts, Dumbledore was angry. He had gotten howlers throughout the day, and he finally blocked owl access. Something needed to be done, but he didn't know what. Every time he had crossed Potter he came out the worse for it. Potter used to be a very pliable child and would follow along a path that Albus had set. Since the beginning of summer, all of that had changed. Harry left the Dursleys and there had been trouble ever since. Now Albus' reputation was shattered both within Hogwarts and without. The students paid little attention to him. They learned that if they stuck together they didn't need to obey detentions or threats of expulsion. He had tried several times and found that each house would fail to attend classes or threaten to leave the school. Once one house would boycott, they were immediately followed by the rest. Once, Ravenclaw house had made it more than halfway to Hogsmeade before Dumbledore gave in and rescinded the order to attend detentions.

The situation was untenable and couldn't continue, he had to regain control. The only person that the students seemed to respect was Potter, and he was gone, never to return. Perhaps if he could persuade Potter to come back, he could be made to see reason and lead the students back to obedience. It seemed the answer to his problems revolved around Potter - always Potter. If only Potter could be convinced to return and cooperate. Perhaps it was time to pay a visit and see what he could accomplish. It couldn't be much worse than it is now.

The problem was trying to find him, he was behind wards and Dumbledore couldn't find him without help. Miss Granger said she didn't know where he was and wouldn't cooperate even if she did. She seemed most put out about Harry leaving. Sirius and Remus would be likely choices, but their level of cooperation would be very low, but it was worth a chance.

~~oo000oo~~

The call had gone out to his Death Eaters, and they had responded.

"Is there any progress in finding Potter?"

"No, your Lordship" answered Lucius Malfoy.

"Crucio!" Malfoy was once again under the torture curse.

"Diffindo!" Owen Gibbons had pulled his wand and fired a cutting curse at Voldemort.

The curse took Voldemort by surprise. The curse severed his arm below his shoulder and sliced into his chest. He was bleeding profusely. Gibbons had missed Voldemort's neck by a few inches.

"Avada Kadavra." Snape had killed Gibbons instantly.

Voldemort's wounds were severe. If nothing was done he would bleed to death in a few minutes. Snape held his wand on the remaining Death Eaters and ordered them from the room. He waited until the room was empty before spelling the doors closed. He turned to Voldemort and cauterized his arm and did his best to close the chest wound. There would be a scar on his chest, but no lasting damage from that wound. Snape reached into his robes for three blood-replenishing potion vials and poured them down the Dark Lord's throat. Within minutes Voldemort sat up and looked as his severed arm, it was his wand arm. He could cast with his left hand, but not as well. He needed all his skill to create a silver arm like the one that he gave Pettigrew. Pettigrew's wound had been fresh and not cauterized, his own amputation would take extra skill. The wand movements needed were very precise and the spell was so obscure that he was the only one that knew it. Now that the arm was cauterized it would be very difficult to replace. The Dark Lord was in trouble.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry and Tonks read into the night while Allison slept. They were taking turns staying awake while there were extra people on the estate.

The journals were filled with disgusting entries of torture and murder interspersed with fascinating bits of information about how Voldemort came to power. There was a lot of information about how he would entice his followers to take the dark mark and then descriptions of his laughter afterwards at the gullibility of those marked. The parts that held the most interest were on how the dark mark was developed and how it worked. It was going to take some time to read and study all five journals, but already there were a lot of possibilities that came to mind. Harry finally got tired and left Tonks to stand guard, while he returned to his tent to sleep in the jungle once again.

Two hours later, Harry was woken by Allison shaking his arm. "Harry, wake up! Come on, wake up! Moody is here to see you! He says it's important. Come on, wake up!"

"Hmmpgh, g'way."

"That's it, come on you can do it. Wake up."

"I'm 'wake. What time is it?"

"It's 5 o'clock in the morning."

"I didn't go to sleep until three." Harry realized where he was, who he was with and what he was wearing. He reached for a towel, stood up and wrapped the towel around him. He was beyond being embarrassed anymore. If someone walked in on him they knew what to expect. "Give me five minutes, and I'll get dressed. I will be out."

"About time that you get up, there is work to be done." Mad-Eye expressed, he was standing with Tonks and Allison.

"What kind of work is there at five in the morning?" Harry said through a yawn.

"We just captured another Death Eater and we can experiment on him, we can turn him in later. He said that someone tried to kill Voldemort last night. Voldemort lost his wand arm and had a deep gash across his chest. It sounds like someone tried to collect the bounty, but he was killed by Snape before he could finish the job.

"Good ol' Snape, always a pain in the ass." Harry was upset.

"Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater."

"You've got that right."

"I found entries in the journals that should allow us to open the network and call an individual to us. If that works we can call them all and be done with them." Moody said.

"Why do we need to do it now?"

"At this time of day, I don't think that they are gathered around Voldemort. If they were, they would know that someone else made the call."

"That makes sense, but I don't know if we want to call them all to us yet. That would leave Voldemort alone but still dangerous. I would like to see if we can charge the network with spells and have them hit Voldemort when he opens a link," Harry said. "It is a good idea to test our access and bring one bad guy to us. But we need to discuss anything more."

"That makes some sense, let's try to get another Death Eater and then see what happens."

"Alright, I don't know about bringing a Death Eater through the wards here. I don't know how far along the goblins are. Let me talk to them and see if we can bring them to an open space. Who did you want to capture?"

"Malfoy?"

"I like it. I'll be back in a little while. Why don't you find a good place on the grounds to set up the ambush?"

"It's already done."

Harry looked until he found Grimfang and learned that it was possible to disable the wards for whatever time that was necessary. They could also activate them again and stop anyone from leaving the area. Harry, Moody and Grimfang worked together to coordinate their actions. Grimfang was going to drop the apparition wards, Moody would then open the link and call Malfoy, and Grimfang would reactivate the wards after Malfoy appeared.

Moody brought all 87 of his people to a semi circle around the landing site and had them ready. There would be enough stunners that could bring down several giants, let alone a single human. The Death Eater captured earlier was stunned, so he was levitated to the landing spot and into a sunken spot behind a wall so that no one could see what Moody was about to do. Grimfang dropped the wards, and Moody followed the instructions from the journal, opened the link using the dark mark on the arm of the stunned man and made the call by verbally calling out 'Lucius Malfoy'.

It took nearly ten minutes before Malfoy materialized and was hit by 87 stunners. He was going to be out for a long time. Grimfang re-established the wards and the operation was over and was a complete success. Perhaps the highest ranked Death Eater was captured, and ready to be tried and sent to Azkaban, or possibly Kissed.

"Well, we know that it works. We can access the network and call whoever we want." Harry said, "The money spent on the journals was worth every knut."

"Potter, I think we have proven that we have the means to decimate Voldemort and his followers."

"We do, but I think that we need to have the six of us sit down and discuss strategy. I have a lot of questions that we need to consider."

"After dinner tonight would be a good time. Meanwhile, we need to pump Malfoy full of Veritaserum to see what he knows."

"That sounds like a good plan. I'm going back to bed." Harry walked back to the manor and his tent.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry awoke about noon. Next to him were the photos and negatives that Colin Creevey had taken after his attack. Harry looked at them and was appalled at how bad he looked, and how exposed he was. No wonder Hermione was so upset. He was not happy that Hermione and his friends saw him in the state he was in. And to be paraded past most of the students of Gryffindor was unconscionable. Dumbledore and McGonagall were definitely out to get retribution. There was also a note from Hermione.

_Harry, _

_I talked to Colin and he first said that he would give the photos to you. After telling him that you were going to pay him regardless he mentioned 100 galleons. I told him that you would send him 1000 galleons instead. I hope that is alright._

_Things in Hogwarts are not going in the faculty's favor. Every time that they crack down on the students unfairly, a house goes on strike. As soon as the other houses hear about it, they join in as well. We are having very few classes and the professors have no idea what to do. If only they started being fair, things would go back to normal. Unfortunately they have the idea that they have to exert control over the student body and force obedience. There is a war going on in Hogwarts. Neither side is ready to give an inch._

_All of your friends miss you and would like things to be like they were. But we all realize that can never be again. I wish there was some way to join you for tutoring. I doubt that Dumbledore would listen to my parents to remove me from this school. They are muggles after all and they have very little say in the matter._

_Have you found tutors yet? I hope they're good and you can learn a lot. I am so jealous, it seems that there is too much time spent fighting and not enough on learning around here. If your offer is open I would like to join you after my OWLs this year or sooner if possible. I haven't talked to Ron about it but I think that he feels the same way. I don't think that you would have a hard time convincing Neville either. Dean and Seamus might be more difficult, but you never know. We are all unhappy with things around here._

_There isn't too much more news from here, please let us know how things are going with you. _

_Hermione_

Harry was glad to get news from his friends, it was too bad that they were having so much trouble. He thought that Dumbledore would be at wits end about now.

~~oo000oo~~

_Dear Mr. Tonks,_

_I am wondering how things are progressing with Playwitch. I know that I am impatient but I really don't want those photos to reach the general public. I have had enough embarrassment to last me a very long time._

_If whoever owns the magazine doesn't want to sell, perhaps you could pay them for whatever profits they think they can make, maybe twice that._

_I am not telling you what to do, I trust you to get the job done. I am just very anxious about the whole matter. _

_Harry_

~~oo000oo~~

Remus and Sirius arrived together on the pathway to the manor after dark. Harry purposely had the elves put lights on in every room to make it more impressive. Perhaps he shouldn't have, but he did it anyway. Both of the Marauders had their mouths hanging open. Sirius was a long way from being poor. The Black fortune was very large, but he had never seen anything of this scale. There were soldiers all over with wands trained on them, and they had to identify themselves to Moody before they were allowed to pass. Moody led them into the manor to the informal dining room, they passed the ballroom and formal dining room along the way, and they were astonished at what they saw. With the size of the manor and the opulence of the interior, Sirius could begin to believe that it would take seventy-four elves to maintain the property.

Harry, Tonks and Allison were waiting for them, they were still reading in the journals, trying to get through as much material as they could before the discussion.

"Pup, I can't believe this place. I have never seen a place this big and grand. You explained that it was huge, but I had no idea it was like this." Sirius exclaimed.

"Wait until you see it in the daylight. I still can't believe that it is real." Harry said.

"I'm glad that you have found something that you enjoy this much. I'm sure that you will have a lot of fun here." Remus added.

"And the security that you have here is incredible. I thought that we were going to be killed at any minute." Sirius said.

"It is only for a few more days. The goblins will have wards up that will make this place like a fortress, nobody will be able to get in without an invitation."

The six of them sat down for supper and Kippy did another fantastic job. She was slightly offended when Moody kept checking for poisons, but Harry quietly took her to the side and explained about Moody's paranoia. After dinner they retired to the small lounge to discuss what they read and about Malfoy's capture.

"Remus, Sirius, we need to tell you about this morning. Mad-Eye saw fit to get me up at 5 o'clock…"

"Quit your whinin'."

"…and made a good point that it was very likely that Voldemort was asleep and the Death Eaters weren't around him. We used what was in the journal to access the dark mark network, called Lucius Malfoy specifically, brought him here and stunned him with all the stunners we could," Harry explained. "We now know that the journals are correct."

"You have Malfoy?" Remus asked. "That is incredible news."

"We've been pumping him full of veritaserum all day and have found a lot of interesting information." Moody added. "I have some information about where he is hiding. Not the location, but how it is protected."

"You have! Why didn't I hear about this?"

"Because we agreed that we weren't going to do anything until after tonight. And because the place is surrounded by enough wards to make Gringotts look like a walk in the park."

"So how are we going to get him out of his lair to catch him?" Tonks questioned.

"First, I don't think that we should be thinking about catching him. We need to kill him as quickly as possible. Even with removing his wand and having him in suppressor cuffs, I don't trust him not to escape. Azkaban would never hold him. He is as evil as the dementors, and they would have no effect on him." Moody gave his opinion.

"I agree with Mad-Eye. He needs to be killed as soon as possible. He shouldn't be allowed any possible means to escape and resume his terror." Sirius weighed in.

"That is bound to make Dumbledore unhappy, I'm sure that we would like to give him a second chance to repent." Harry added sarcastically.

"Aye, that he would. That has always been a big failing of Albus'. Fortunately he is not part of this group and doesn't have any say in the matter." Moody said. "What we need to discuss is what we want to do with this dark mark information."

"I haven't had time to thoroughly read all five journals. I would like to carefully understand all we can about the way the dark mark works. Maybe create a shortened version by taking some good notes. Once we fully understand it, we will be able to determine all of our options." Remus gave his input.

"I have read the marked excerpts and have a pretty good idea, but I agree with Remus. We can take a little more time, a couple of days, and study this thoroughly. I would also like to gather any other information that the journals may have. There are more secrets in them than just the dark mark material." Harry mentioned. "Mad-Eye brought up something this morning that we should all discuss. We can pick a time where we think the Death Eaters are by themselves, and call them all to us and eliminate all of them. That would leave Voldemort alone and without support. The problem is we wouldn't know where he is or how to find him. He could eventually find more people to follow him, this time without the dark mark, and we would be in trouble again."

"You make a good point, Harry, but what are the alternatives?" Allison weighed in.

"From what I read, when he wants to torture someone through the dark mark, he opens a link and fires a curse into the network. He can then call whatever Death Eater he wants and the curse is directed to the recipient. Is it possible to fire a lot of spells into the network, and have them discharge into Voldemort the next time he opens a link?" Harry asked.

"I didn't see anything about that possibility from what I have seen in the journals, what makes you think it is possible?" Tonks questioned.

"I don't know if it is possible at all, I'm trying to think of a way to use the dark mark to attack Moldyshorts directly. We already know that it can be used against the Death Eaters, but how can we use it for more than that?"

"If we try that and fail, then Voldemort will be on to us, and using the dark mark against him or the Death Eaters will be over." Allison added quickly.

"That is a definite problem. We are only going to have one shot at trying to get him through the mark, if it fails then we are screwed." Harry said sadly.

"Is there any way to test this theory?" Tonks asked. There was a silence in the room while everyone thought about it.

"What if we took three captured Death Eaters, use one of them to open the mark and send a spell into the network. We use an Imperiused Death Eater to open the link on a third Death Eater. The second Death Eater should be zapped by whatever was sent. Do you think that will work?" Remus put his suggestion out there for consideration.

"We could leave the first and third guys stunned, so there wouldn't be a possibility of information escaping. The one under the Imperius Curse is still expendable." Moody thought aloud. "I don't see the harm in trying it."

"If we try that, what kind of spell should we use? What kinds of spells are possible, and if we use it against Voldemort, what kind of spells would be effective against him?" Harry asked.

"Good questions," Sirius interjected, "if our initial test using three captured Death Eaters works, then we could repeat it a few times testing various spells."

"That sounds good, but it doesn't answer what would be best against Voldemort. And if we do wound him, how do we find him to finish him off?" Tonks pondered.

"We could call the Death Eaters when we know they are near him. He would follow them to find out what is happening, and then we could kill him." Moody brought up for consideration.

"But what if he thought it was a trap and didn't come. He could tell his followers to ignore the call and we would be in worse shape." Sirius was once again playing devil's advocate.

"Can the killing curse be channeled through the mark?" Harry asked.

"We could test it. Are you thinking of using it against Voldemort?" Remus questioned.

"No, I was thinking that if we used our chances with the dark mark against Voldemort, then we could always deal with the remaining Death Eaters later," Harry said. "We have more than one chance of using the mark against Death Eaters, but only one chance against Voldemort."

"That is a very good point. If the killing curse works with the dark mark, then none of them will ever be safe." Remus added.

You have a point, Potter, I think that we need to experiment with curses through the dark mark using three Death Eaters. Do we test the killing curse?" Moody brought up.

"I would feel better if Amelia would give her permission to test it. It is not called unforgiveable for nothing. This is the same as an execution. I don't think I'm comfortable making that kind of a decision… except for Voldemort of course." Harry said.

"Should we add the Minister to this group?" Allison brought up. There was a lot of silent contemplation in the room.

"She would make what we are doing more legal. I would hate for any of us to be charged with a crime for what we are going to do. If word will ever get out in the future, then Dumbledore will try anything to punish the innocent and protect the guilty." Once again Harry was being sarcastic.

"We wouldn't be innocent if we use the killing curse." Sirius said, "I would be much more comfortable knowing that the Death Eater was already sentenced to die. How could we get our hands on a condemned prisoner without the minister being part of our group."

"It sounds like we need to add Minister Bones to this discussion. Do any of you have an objection?" Harry asked. No one spoke against the idea except for Moody.

"I think that we should bring Amelia into the fold, but this group is already large enough. Adding more people is dangerous." Moody said. "Do we want to try to call her this evening and see if she is available?"

"I think that it would be a good idea," Remus said, and everyone agreed. Moody made the floo call because he knew the pass phrases that it took to reach her. Moody told her that it was too dangerous to talk about over the floo, but it was very important. He said it regarded getting rid of the Death Eaters and Voldemort. She arrived at the Manor, the same way that Sirius and Remus did and was as impressed as much as they were, only she hid it better. Before long she was in the lounge with the others and had been filled in the best that she could.

"So you're telling me that we have a way of accessing the dark mark network, can call anyone of the Death Eaters to us, same as you did with Malfoy, or be able to call them all if we wished to. We may also be able to booby trap the network so that the next time that Voldemort opens it, he could be in for a nasty curse of some kind. You also want to test the network to see if the killing curse can be transmitted to someone else leading to the idea that it might work on Voldemort." Amelia repeated, "Does that about sum it up?"

"I think you have a good grasp of the situation." Moody confirmed. "The question we have to deal with is what do we do with this new capability? Potter pointed out that if the killing curse can be sent to anyone of them, then any marked Death Eater is always vulnerable and can be brought to justice. We have multiple opportunities to deal with the Death Eaters but only one to deal with Voldemort himself."

"That about sums it up." Harry said

"We have quite a problem. After having one Minister for Magic running wild and taking the law in his hands, I don't want to even think of doing the same thing. But this is not something that can be taken to the Wizengamot for discussion and a vote." Amelia said. "I think that the conversation needs to stay within this group. Secrecy is extremely important, Voldemort can't find out what we are doing. Sirius, I assume that I have your voting support in the Wizengamot for whatever we do here?" Sirius nodded. "Then I say that we should have a trial for Malfoy, and if he is sentenced to death, then we use him as a test for the killing curse. Moody, you are the only one that I'm going to approve to use that curse. You will have to use the Imperius curse in order to get Malfoy to do what you want. Again you are the only one that I will approve for that curse as well."

"I understand, Madam Minister," Moody acknowledged.

"I would also like to have copies of these journals. I want to know what else might be in them. Is there anything else that I need to know?" Amelia asked, and no one said anything. "Then I think that I'll be on my way home. I'm very heartened to know that our nightmare may soon be over."

"Amelia, maybe this is not the time, but did you give my request any thought yet? Harry queried.

"I have been meaning to tell you that I think that you're right, you need to know how to apparate as soon as possible."

"Thank you, I'll try to find someone to teach me as soon as I can." Harry replied.

"Pup, I can teach you, I taught your dad and Remus here how to do it."

"That would be great. Thanks, Sirius."

The meeting broke up and Harry gave a small tour of the manor to his guests before they left for their homes. Sirius had told Harry that he was done with the elves, and that Harry could have them back.

It was late in the evening when everyone had left and Tonks, Allison and Harry decided to call it a night. It was Allison's turn to spend the early part of the evening on guard duty. So Harry retired to his tent while Tonks tried to get some sleep. Harry thought that it had been a good day as he stretched out in the nighttime jungle for another restful night's sleep.

~~oo000oo~~

"Where is Malfoy? He is supposed to be here, and he didn't answer my call."

"I heard from a contact in the ministry that he was captured this morning and is in a Ministry cell. My contact thought that he would be tried before the Wizengamot tomorrow," Thorfin Rowle answered.

"That can't be allowed. He knows too much… Rowle, I want you to go to the Ministry with two others of your choice and either break him out or kill him."

"My Lord, my contact told me that Alastor Moody has already questioned him under Veritaserum for nearly two hours."

"Why am I just now hearing about this? Crucio!"

~~oo000oo~~

Malfoy was tried and convicted under Veritaserum the next morning in front of the entire Wizengamot. Malfoy had spilled everything that he knew about Voldemort and his operations. He also explained the failure in Africa to find gold. Thankfully there was nothing said that indicated that Harry had scammed them. Malfoy described Voldemort's displeasure and the tortures that followed. Due to the severity of his crimes, he was sentenced to death.

Amelia Bones was able to convince the Wizengamot that she would take care of the execution personally. With Sirius' votes it was approved and Malfoy was going to be used for their experiment.

~~oo000oo~~

"Sirius, might I have a minute of your time?" Albus Dumbledore had caught up to him after the Wizengamot session was over.

"What is it Albus?"

"I need to speak to Harry. Do you know where he is?"

"I do know, but he doesn't want to talk to you. He is still angry."

"It is most important that I speak with him. He must return to Hogwarts, that is where he belongs."

"That is never going to happen. Harry is very happy where he is, and there is virtually no chance for him to agree to return."

"I must try. It is for the best."

"The best for whom? There is something that you aren't telling me. There is always an ulterior motive with you. Why do you need Harry so badly? You weren't trying very hard to stop him from leaving. And you sure didn't do anything to make his stay any easier. Just what are you up to?"

"I need to apologize for my behavior and stress the importance of the need for him to finish his education at Hogwarts. It is where his friends are, and it would be the best education for him."

"You are still not telling the whole truth. You are not that interested in Harry's education, there is something in it for you. You wouldn't be talking to me if there weren't. What is it that you are trying to hide?"

"I resent that you think that I'm trying to get him to return for my own interests. I'm only thinking of Harry's benefit."

"I don't believe you. I'm not going to tell you where he is, nor am I going to try to convince him to return. He is in a much better situation than he was when under your supposed care. Goodbye, Albus."

~~oo000oo~~

Malfoy was stunned and portkeyed to Harry's estate. Grimfang dropped the wards and allowed them through. Moody had set up shifts of his people so that there were no less than five guards on him at any time. They were also keeping the other Death Eaters, which they had captured but hadn't turned in yet, stunned and guarded as well. Harry and the others, including Amelia, intended to meet at 6 o'clock the next morning, when they thought that the network would be clear, to do their test.

Harry and his guards had visited Grimmauld place during the afternoon. Harry couldn't believe that it was the same place. Nothing was left of the old house. The walls and stairway were completely changed. Light streamed through the windows into light colored walls and floors. Sirius had bought sleek modern furniture that looked nothing like the antiques that used to be there. Harry thought that it was a little too modern for his tastes, but that it was good for Sirius to drive the memories away. Sirius was thrilled at the thoughts that his ancestors were spinning in their graves. Nothing was left of the legacy that was left from the Black family.

Harry, Tonks, Allison and Sirius spent the afternoon and evening visiting and discussing what was going to happen in the morning. All of them were excited to see if it worked. Because of the early hour the next morning, Harry and the others left for home early to get as much sleep as possible.

~~oo000oo~~

Everything was set. Amelia was there, and the event was to take place in one of the guest houses. Harry didn't like the idea of anyone dying in the main house. Behind closed doors, with guards in the next room and surrounding the house they tried the experiment. Moody opened the link and cast the killing curse into the dark mark. Unfortunately the first prisoner died without the curse passing through. The experiment failed and a Death Eater died without first having a trial. No one had considered this possibility, and they were upset about both results.

On Amelia's orders, Moody cast the killing curse again to extinguish the life of Malfoy, and they vanished the bodies. There would be no proper burial for them. Harry thought that Draco would be upset, but he didn't care. The Malfoy Family cemetery, along with the rest of the estate, now belonged to him anyway, so there was little that Draco could do.

The seven of them walked back to the main manor and took seats back in the lounge.

"What could we have done differently?" Harry asked.

"We know that a lethal spell is not going to work. What else can we use?" Remus questioned.

"Is there a spell that would be lethal to Voldemort alone?" Tonks mentioned.

"I don't know of one, all the curses I know work on everyone equally." Moody said.

"Is there one that would weaken him, perhaps permanently? Something that would disable him... maybe so that he couldn't walk again or something like that… or would scramble his brain? Allison was thinking aloud.

"There should be something that would affect that evil SOB," Tonks exclaimed with a little frustration.

Harry looked thoughtful for a few moments. "Tonks you may be onto something, he is evil. I can't think of anyone more evil than him. What if we used that against him?"

"What do you have in mind, Harry?"

"What if we lined up a few Death Eaters, have them stunned of course, then if we were all to open a link and fire simultaneous patroni into the network. When Voldemort opens a link the next time, he would be flooded with the must pure, positive force that can be produced. Mix evil with an overwhelming positive force, and it should wreak havoc with him."

"I like that, it wouldn't be fatal to the Death Eaters, they could still stand trial, but it should have a big effect on Voldemort." Amelia said

"I like it too," commented Sirius, "but how do we find him to finish him off?"

"I don't have an answer to that." Harry put forward. "But there must be a way."

"What if we send one less patronus and send a tracking spell instead?" Remus added. There were some thoughtful expressions around the room. "Does anyone have any other ideas or problems with the plan?"

"I can't think of any. We can call as many Death Eaters as we want and then use them for our purposes at any time, so that part of the plan works. If somehow we can't enter spells simultaneously the worst that will happen is that we will be hit with a patronus, which shouldn't have any lasting damage. If the tracking spell works we have dozens of your people, Mad-Eye, to send to him."

"Don't forget aurors can be ready too. I was recently informed by the Department of Mysteries that there is a new locator beacon spell that is believed to have the ability to penetrate most wards. I suggest that we use that instead. If we have his location, we can erect anti-portkey and anti-apparition wards quickly if we are prepared. With enough people it can be done in two minutes or less." Amelia added.

"I'm worried that we may be missing something, I don't want there to be another situation like we had this morning. I think that we should wait a couple of days and have all of us think about it. We aren't in that big of a hurry, Voldemort doesn't know that we have access to the dark mark, and I can't think of a way for him to find out soon." Harry cautioned.

"Okay, are we agreed to wait two days and try this proposal?" Amelia questioned. Everyone consented, and the plan was approved.


	23. Chapter 23

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Chapter 23

After the meeting was over, Amelia and Remus took a few minutes to see what Rivenwood looked like in the daytime. The house was very impressive along with the gardens and grounds. They viewed the river and could see the stables and carriage house in the distance. Harry pointed out the other guest houses and the direction of the greenhouses. That reminded him that he still hadn't asked Goldy what they were all for.

Amelia and Remus left for work, but Sirius stayed behind to enjoy the property. Harry, Tonks, Allison and Sirius decided to ask Goldy if there were brooms available in the manor, but Goldy said they had lost their magic over a hundred years ago.

"Dobby?"

"Master Harry calls Dobby?"

"Dobby, I would like you to go to Quality Quidditch Supply and buy three more Firebolt brooms." With a pop Dobby was off.

"Harry, do you know how much you spent?"

"A lot less than all the bounties, rewards and purchases of the Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly and all the other things that I have bought. Don't worry, I still have most of my money safely invested."

By the time that Harry had given his explanation, Dobby was back with the three brooms."

"Dobby was lucky, Master Harry, theys only had three broomses left."

"Dobby, would you go get my broom from my trunk?" With two more pops, Dobby was gone and back again with the broom. "Alright, everyone, let's take a look around."

The four of them took a bird's eye view of the manor and immediate grounds. Harry hadn't been to the stables yet, so they flew down and found that there were indeed horses. Harry didn't know anything about horses, but they looked very nice to him. He was looking forward to learning to ride and using the trails through the forest. The stables were very well kept and were as clean as could be.

They took off again and Harry flew them over the forest land and showed them the miles of brick walls surrounding the estate. Flying low over the river showed how clear the water was, it was far too cold to go swimming, but it still looked very inviting. All four of them enjoyed the time in the air and exploring the property. There were still things that Harry wanted to check out, like what was in the carriage house, but he had a better idea of what Rivenwood offered.

They ended their excursion back at the manor in time for lunch. As busy as Kippy was, feeding all the men that were on the estate, she still went to a lot of effort to create a meal fit for a king for the four of them. To say that Sirius was impressed was an understatement.

"Pup, I don't know what to say. This place is magnificent and I agree that 74 elves are kept busy working on it. I don't know how they can keep up. You have found yourself a real gem here. I can't believe that this place sat empty for as long as it did. Why would anyone want to leave it?"

"I don't know either, I do know that this will always be my central home. I can't think of how another place can compare to this."

"I need to be getting back, since you have given me control over so many seats in the Wizengamot, I feel that I need to read everything that comes along. I also want to continue to study the journals in case there is something that I missed."

"I intend to do the same thing. You never know what will be found. After we do whatever we do to Voldemort, do you think that we can start on apparition?"

"I'm sure of it, you are going to have a great time. We will need to be able to work the wards here or find another place to practice."

"The wards will be done, and the goblins will be gone soon. After I learn how it all works, I think that I'll be able to key all of us into the wards. We will have to wait and see."

~~oo000oo~~

Harry spent some time relaxing in his tent. He was reading Rosier's journals and found a passage that was hard to read. The letters weren't formed correctly, and there were missing letters as well. He didn't quite know what to make of it. Rosier said that he copied it from Riddle but he did a lousy job of copying.

_S-th-r-n va-lt. vau-t 4 – 'Slyt—in l-v-s fo-e-er'_

Rosier had a good handwriting for the rest of the journal. It was this one line that was bad. Harry didn't know what to think but he had an idea. He left his tent to find Tonks awake and reading outside his tent.

"Tonks?"

"Wotcher, Harry?"

"Can you make any sense out of this line in this journal?" Harry showed her what he had been looking at.

"I looked at this before and wondered what it meant. It looks like hen scratching to me. It doesn't make any sense. Do you have any idea?"

"I don't know it looks like it could be important, but it is hard to tell. Oh well, maybe we will figure it out sometime. I'm going back to read some more."

Harry returned to the tent and went into his study. He took out a piece of parchment and wrote down what he saw and tried to make sense of it. If Tonks seen hen scratching and he saw some letters then it must be parseltongue. Maybe Rosier thought that it was important to Riddle and tried to copy what he saw somewhere from Riddle's writing into his own journal.

_S-th-r-n va-lt. vau-t 4 – 'Slyt—in l-v-s fo-e-er'_

_Slytherin vault. vault 4 – 'Slytherin lives forever'_

It wasn't too difficult to decipher. The only word that had any other possibilities was a choice between 'lives' and 'loves', and he was sure that it wasn't 'loves'. Could it be that Riddle had access to the Slytherin vault and had secured it with a simple parseltongue password? There was only one way to find out. It would be fun to pilfer from the biggest crook of them all.

It wasn't long before Allison had woken up from a nap and Harry told them that he needed to go to Gringotts, saying that he needed to check something in the Warwick vault. Within a short time they had apparated to Diagon Alley and made their way to the bank. Tonks and Allison waited in the lobby while Harry asked Nearfang to take him to vault 4. It wasn't much longer than travelling to Potter vault 11 and Harry was standing on the landing in front of the vault doors. Harry closed his eyes and pretended that he was talking to a snake.

Harry spoke in parseltongue_, "__**ȣ Slytherin lives forever ȣ**_" The vault door opened to find a large amount of galleons and variety of other contents. It was unbelievable how egotistical Voldemort or Slytherin was. To only protect a vault with a parseltongue password was arrogant and childish. Every other vault that he had visited had more protections than this one did.

"Elves!" With a cacophony of pops he had all the regular elves plus all of the Rivenwood elves as well. The vault was elbow to elbow full of elves.

"Master Harry calls his elves?"

"Yes, I did. I didn't mean to call all of you. But would you move the galleons in this vault to vault 160. Be careful, there could be some dark magic… if there is, just leave it behind. Then you may go back to what you were doing." Within 30 minutes the gold was gone, along with the elves.

Harry walked back to the vault door. _"__**ȣ Change password ȣ**__"_ Harry waited for a moment and said "Voldemort is a fool" in English. Harry was going to leave a note in his journal about the Slytherin vault, maybe someone in future generations would want to comeback. It was a sure thing that Voldemort was never going to get in again.

~~oo000oo~~

Mad-Eye used the next two days collecting Death Eaters. To say that he was having fun would be an understatement. After so many years of chasing them all over creation, having them come to him to be hit by a wall of stunners, was pure joy to him. Christmas was coming early for Alastor Moody. He collected seven fresh captures, one for each of them. He didn't want to take any more, he didn't want Voldemort any more suspicious than was necessary.

~~oo000oo~~

Voldemort was worried. Something was happening to his Death Eaters. He had lost dozens to Potter's bounty, and more were being lost nearly every day. Malfoy was captured, questioned and executed. Now there were at least seven more that had disappeared. He didn't know what to do about it. How were the captures made? Did any of them know about his location? Could his location be part of the problem? Could someone be tracing the apparition and portkey signatures from his hideout and following them? Nothing had triggered any wards or alarms that he had put up, but maybe there was something new that he didn't know about, something that placed a tracer on departing Death Eaters. How else could so many of them be captured so quickly?

If there was one thing that Voldemort knew for certain was that the dark marks were safe. Decades before, he had personally killed the only other person that knew anything about the marks. Potter had no chance of learning about the dark mark, Voldemort had seen to that already. Voldemort was too smart to leave any loose ends around. Rosier was long dead, and only he knew how the dark marks worked.

There were so many questions, but no answers. If this continued, then he would be out of Death Eaters soon. Far more than half of them were gone, and he had no way of enticing more to come to him. Giving a large bonus of money for taking the dark mark was what he usually did. It was easy to get followers when paying them a large sum of money, greed was easy to exploit. Now he had nothing to give. That fool Malfoy had bankrupted them all. He didn't have the money to hire more mercenaries and couldn't entice more Death Eaters. His current Death Eaters were dwindling quickly, and there didn't seem to be anything to do about it. Potter and those bounties were decimating his ranks, it even cost him his arm. He still hadn't figured out how to replace it yet, he wasn't good enough with his left hand for the complicated wand movements, and there was no one that knew that spell well enough to do it for him. It had taken him a long time to learn the spell initially, and he was Lord Voldemort, the most powerful wizard the world had ever seen. If the spell was difficult for him, then it would be impossible for anyone else.

That still didn't address his problem with losing his Death Eaters. There was some way that they were being located and captured. The only thing that they had in common was coming to this hideout. The rest of the time they were dispersed to blend into the general population and were hard to identify. It must be his location, nothing else made any sense. It was better for security to move frequently and it was time to move again. But where? He couldn't go to Malfoy Manor, Nott's mansion, or to any of the other fools' homes. He needed to carefully pick a new location, one that he hadn't used before, and set up new wards.

"Snape!"

"Yes, My Lord."

"You have a house, don't you?"

"Yes, My Lord." Snape didn't like the sounds of this.

"Does anyone know of this house?"

"No, My Lord."

"Help me pack my things. We are leaving for your house immediately."

"Yes, My Lord, it will be an honor to have you in my home." Snape was not happy about this turn of events. That last thing he wanted was to lose the last refuge that he had. "Master, you are most welcome to my home and anything else that I can give you. I must warn you that this house is very small, and it is located close to other homes in a muggle neighborhood. It only has a muggle repelling charm on it. Might I be so bold to suggest that Thorfin Rowle has a small home in the country that would be much easier to defend?"

"A muggle neighborhood? What are you doing there?"

"It belonged to my grandmother; I have only used it once or twice a year, when I needed quiet time away from the imbeciles that I had to teach."

"You make a strong point, we will use Rowle's home instead. Give me your arm…"

~~oo000oo~~

"Mr. Potter, your wards are ready." Grimfang had approached Harry and his guards shortly after lunch.

"That is wonderful, did it turn out as well as you hoped."

"Even better, these are the finest wards that I have ever worked on. Do you have time now for me to show you how they work?"

"I have plenty of time, what do I have to do?"

Harry left his guards behind as he learned from Grimfang to operate the wards. There was a simple book that had a list of the names of those that were allowed to be there. Crossing out a name caused the name to fade from the list and would allow another to be written over the top. He also had another book for backup, if the primary book was lost, then with a password, the second book would deactivate the first and only allow those names in the second book would have access to Rivenwood. Harry set the password to the second book to 'fool's gold'. What Grimfang was most proud of was something new from the warders at Gringotts. He had an effective Fidelius charm that was customizable by him. He didn't need a secret keeper, it was all contained within the books. He only needed to add and remove the names on the list for access. If a name wasn't on the list, they had no idea that the property existed. By adding and removing names he could effectively switch on and off who knew about Rivenwood. Grimfang had also taken the liberty to hide a drawer in the study in the manor under the same kind of Fidelius. It was up to Harry who had access to the book. Inside the back cover was a list of those people that he approved to know where the hidden drawer was. His name along with Grimfang's was already written on the back cover of the access book, Harry added Dobby, Sirius and Remus to the list. Grimfang had added the names of all of Moody's people and the friends of Harry's into the main pages, Harry could easily remove them by striking lines through them later.

Grimfang took Harry to the master ward stone hidden behind a rock wall in the basement. There really wasn't anything Harry had to do to the stone except to make sure that it was left undisturbed. The floo for the house was modified with extra protection. No one at the ministry could modify the access without Harry allowing it. There would never be unwanted guests coming through the floo. Harry was shown about apparition and portkey access as well, some could know that Rivenwood existed but not have access. There were other things that were less important and it took about two hours before he learned it all.

Harry thanked Grimfang profusely and authorized a big bonus for a job well done.

~~oo000oo~~

Amelia had spent the last two days learning the new locator beacon spell, and she was ready. The next morning at 6 o'clock they would charge the dark marks and wait for the locator spell to activate. Each of the seven had reviewed the plan and were comfortable that they hadn't missed anything and were ready to go. There was a nervous excitement in each of them, it was possible that Voldemort would be crippled or vanquished by tomorrow night.

~~oo000oo~~

Rowle had been called and Voldemort invited himself to his house. There were very few wards, but that didn't stop the move. The Dark Lord was convinced that he would be safer there, so he packed and shrunk his things, and along with Nagini, he left with Rowle and Snape. The three of them spent the night erecting new wards, curses and traps. By 5 o'clock in the morning they were finished, so they went to bed to rest. Voldemort thought that the protections weren't extensive yet, that would take time, but they were sufficient to feel secure for the time being. Rowle's house was small but with enough expansion charms it could be quite comfortable. That could wait a few hours and then he would call his Death Eaters knowing that they would be safe from capture.

Voldemort didn't know that his location had nothing to do with the problems with the Death Eaters. He was so sure that the dark marks were safe that the thought they were compromised was never seriously considered.

~~oo000oo~~

The day of reckoning had come. Today was the day that could possibly lead to the end of Voldemort. So many things could go wrong. There was no telling what would happen. Maybe they couldn't load the network with more than one spell. Maybe nothing would happen when Voldemort opened a link at his end. If this attempt failed, and he became wise to the idea that the marks were compromised, then they would lose a very powerful tool against him. What if the patroni didn't affect him the way they hoped. What if the locator beacon didn't bring them to where he was hiding and they couldn't finish him off. There were just too many things that could go wrong, but they had to try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Moody had used the same guest house and surrounded it with his people to make sure that no one escaped. He lined up the stunned Death Eaters on tables so that each of the seven of them could cast their spells together. Moody was going to lead the group and coordinate the time to start the spell casting. They had discussed how long they wanted to power their patroni and decided that while it was important to start precisely at the same time so that the spells wouldn't immediately flow through one of the other links, it was not necessary to stop the spells and close the links in unison. They should be able to drop off one at a time as long as they immediately closed the link when they were finished.

At precisely 6 o'clock they each opened the links and cast their spells. Amelia was done first since her locator beacon spell was quick to cast. The other six took a lot more time. They cast and held their wands to the dark mark as long as they could. Allison and Tonks were sweating heavily when they broke their links. Sirius and Remus broke their connections about the same time. They too were sweating and sat down as soon as they finished. Moody lasted a long time, he had used and practiced the patronus spell extensively because of his frequent exposure to dementors, but he gave out as well, leaving Harry as the last person still casting.

Harry was still having fun. He had such a great time with thoughts of the Dursleys getting what they deserved and being set free from them. He had so much fun bringing all the jewels together and then scamming Crabbe and Goyle out of their ill gotten fortunes. Buying their shares of the Daily Prophet powered the patronus for another ten minutes. Thoughts of his birthday brought pure glee to his mind. Bankrupting all the major Death Eaters in one fell swoop brought giggles while he was casting, he was smiling and laughing after all the other spell casters had finished. Buying control of the Daily Prophet fueled the patronus for a long time. He didn't think that he would ever get tired of thinking about that. Thoughts of stealing Fudge's bribe money and watching Fudge's panic through the mirror, especially with the comments spoken by the spirit in the mirror had Harry laughing out loud while everyone watched him incredulously. Harry had barely broken a sweat. Facing Fudge down and forcing him to leave Hogwarts' Great Hall with the Toad was another memory that was good for another ten minutes of time. He had a special place in his heart for when Malfoy and the others failed to find gold and had lost it all. Buying up their debts to guarantee that they would never plague the world again with their economic might was good for even more time. Just knowing that he was following in his family's traditions and that his first scams were so successful brought extra joy to him.

Unknown to Harry, the others around him were in awe. Harry had gone on over thirty minutes longer than any of them. His wand and arm were glowing white and then gold as he continued to laugh. Harry turned his thoughts back to his birthday and basked in the pride that he felt for himself that his plan had worked. He was a billion galleons richer, and Voldemort and the Death Eaters were broke. Even knowing that the worthless land in Africa was back in his hands caused him to giggle. He finally realized what he was doing and broke and sealed his connection. He wasn't even tired, he felt great and had a big smile on his face. Everybody else was incredulous.

"What were you doing Harry, you could have hurt yourself," Sirius admonished.

"I feel fine, I could do it all over again if I needed to. I thought that you might be tired of waiting for me, so I stopped."

"How did you continue to fuel your patronus for that long?" Amelia asked.

"What can I say, I had a great summer." Harry grinned.

Amelia had her aurors stun the Death Eaters again and transported them to the Ministry holding cells. They weren't going to leave them behind when the locator went off. She gave orders for the aurors to return once the prisoners were secure.

~~oo000oo~~

"Sirius?"

"Yeah, Pup?"

"Now that we are all just waiting for something to happen, do you think that we could work on apparition?"

"I don't see why not. Have you heard of the three D's?"

"Destination, Determination and Deliberation." Harry recited.

"You got it. First you need to know where you want to go. I want you to think about standing in front of that bush over there. The next two are an awful lot the same, you have to want to get there and know that you can do it. Think of it as, 'I want to go there' and simply do it. I know that it doesn't help a lot, but that is all there is to it. The trick that I use is to think of yourself already there. Don't think of yourself standing where you are, but you are standing next to the bush facing me and you can see that I'm smaller from a distance, that the manor is just a little further away, you are standing in the lawn instead of on the path. You don't just imagine yourself there, you are there. There is no doubt. There is nothing that you have to do, and you don't have to twist or turn like some instructors tell you to do. You just know that you are there, no question about it. It does help if you close your eyes, but eventually you can skip that part with practice. Don't load your head with 'what do I do if it doesn't work' or 'what will Sirius think' or anything else besides what you are going to do when you are there. Are you going to take a step? Are you going to speak out? Are you going to turn and look another direction? I learned by thinking that I was going to take a deep breath and smell what is around me. If that bush was blooming it would help, but you don't need it. You know that you can do it. It is so easy that you don't even have to think about it, you are going to do it because you know…" Sirius heard a loud pop, looked and Harry was standing by the bush with a big grin.

"That was great, Sirius. You were right. It is easy if you just know that you're there already." Harry closed his eyes briefly and was back standing next to Sirius.

"What do you have to do to go someplace that you have never gone before?"

"Let's leave that for another day. I want you to practice all over this area. You may splinch yourself and I'll have to put you back together. I have never had anyone do that, but I don't want to take a chance."

Harry apparated all around the gardens and was having fun. He really thought that it was going to be much harder than it was.

The rest of the dark mark group, as they began to think of themselves, was monitoring the locator beacon spell. Kippy made them all a great brunch as most of them hadn't eaten before they came. The time passed with a lot of stories from Mad-Eye, although each of them had things that interested them and shared them with the others. Harry was careful about telling any secrets. He didn't want to tell Moody about faking his trip to Africa, he didn't think that wasting his entire summer looking for him would make Moody too happy. Harry did describe the girls of Hogwarts and how most of them behaved, but he didn't get into what the worst ones did to him. Tonks and Allison told how desperate some of the girls were and some of the comical attempts to get Harry's attention.

At times the conversation turned serious, about what they needed to do if the locator beacon worked. They discussed the amount of power that Harry had loaded into the network. Harry was surprised to hear that his arm and wand were glowing for as long as it did. If that much energy was released into Voldemort then something was going to happen.

Amelia had her group of aurors and ward breakers standing by and she spent considerable time making sure they were ready to go. With Moody's group of people, the aurors and themselves, there were nearly 125 people there in the manor, waiting in the ballroom and dining room for the signal to go. There was a long rope on the floor that was going to be turned into a portkey as soon as they knew where to go. Voldemort was going to be out numbered at least ten to one, probably higher. When he opened the link it would mean that he was calling for more Death Eaters because they weren't already there. Voldemort should be dazed or disabled enough that he wouldn't quickly recover to call again.

Since they had substantial time to wait, Harry took Dobby, Sirius and Remus to the study in the manor. He explained briefly how the wards worked and where the access book was hidden. In case something happened to Harry, someone needed to know what to do. Sirius and Remus were very impressed with the wards and told him so. Without wasting time, they returned to the others and waited impatiently.

~~oo000oo~~

Voldemort was sure that he had the problems with his Death Eaters being captured solved, and he was anxious to prove that moving hideouts had worked. He needed to call them now, and after a few hours, he would call them again to see if they had been captured. He was the greatest wizard since Merlin, but it would be reassuring to know that his problem was solved.

"Severus, I need your arm."

"Yes, your Lordship."

Severus rolled up his sleeve and presented it. Voldemort touched it with his wand in his left hand and silently opened a link. All hell broke loose. His arm was paralyzed as patroni were unleashed through the link into his body. The pain was enormous and it wasn't over yet. Nagini's head exploded and there was a beam of white light shining from her. The locator beacon exited the link and was blown across the room by the power of the patroni and was instantly activated. The worst was yet to come. Harry's patronus was corporeal, solid and extremely powerful. It shot from Snape's arm taking the arm with it. Voldemort's wand and remaining arm were also blown away. Voldemort was without arms with blood gushing on the floor. Snape was in great distress and tried to cauterize his own wound while losing blood nearly as fast as his master. The stag patronus was golden in color and was standing guard over the two men. It didn't attack immediately but was ready at a moment's notice.

~~oo000oo~~

The beacon started sending a signal, and everyone got ready.

Harry collapsed on the floor, there was a small explosion and a blindingly bright white light emitting from his forehead, it was very difficult to look at. There was black ooze flowing from where his scar used to be. He had a huge gaping wound with a blinding light emitting from it, and no one knew what to do. Within a minute the light stopped. Four of the six other people in their group gathered around Harry. Amelia and Moody told them to take care of him, they needed to get their people after Voldemort.

The ropes were turned into portkeys and the forces were dispatched, leaving Harry, Sirius, Remus, Allison and Tonks behind. Harry's wound was horrendous, he had a huge hole in his forehead and he was bleeding profusely. Tonks immediately made a portkey to St. Mungos and they all left with Harry.

~~oo000oo~~

When all of Moody's people and Amelia's aurors and ward breakers arrived, they found a modest house in the country. The mercenaries immediately surrounded and secured the property. The ward breakers got to work and within three minutes the anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards were up and the other wards were down. The assault went by the books and the house was quickly overwhelmed and Rowle was taken without resistance. When they entered the living area they found a golden stag patronus standing over Snape and an armless Voldemort. The Dark Lord was lying on the floor taking his last breaths.


	24. Chapter 24

This story is not the work of J K Rowling

Chapter 24

The scene at the farm house was somber. A golden stag was standing over Voldemort as he gave his last breath and died. Snape was a little better off, the medics with the teams cauterized Snape's arm and fed him blood replenishing potions. Soon Snape was awake, and the questions started. Snape described the flood of patroni that left his arm, and then the corporeal stag that blew his and Voldemort's arms off. He didn't remember much after that. Rowle had been sleeping in another room and didn't see what had happened. The only explanation that Amelia and Moody could think of, was that Harry's corporeal golden stag had killed Voldemort and crippled Snape. It didn't take long for the teams of people at the site to start to cheer. The greatest dark lord in centuries was dead, and Harry Potter had unknowingly did it.

~~oo000oo~~

The healers at St. Mungos were working feverishly to try to save Harry's life. Parts of the skull were missing and he had brain damage. It was far too early to determine how bad it was going to be. The group of four that came with him were banned from his room while that healers did all that they could. They worked for more than an hour before Harry was breathing on his own. The long term prognosis was grim, the injury was so severe that the healers were doing all they could to stabilize him and hoping for a miracle. The type of injury was unique, none of the healers had ever seen something like this, let alone treated it. It looked like something exploded from the inside out, instead of outside in. They did their best to remove all traces of the black ooze that surrounded the wound. The ooze was analyzed and the results made no sense, it was human, yet it was not.

~~oo000oo~~

Moody and Amelia had Snape sent to the holding cells at the ministry. More medical attention would be given if he needed it, but nothing was going to be done about his arm. Rowle on the other hand was going to be useful. The decision was made to move Rowle and all the troops back to land just outside Rivenwood. It was time for the last of the Death Eaters to be rounded up.

Just outside of Rivenwood, they set themselves up to capture the other Death Eaters. They had names for almost all of them, so one by one they were called, stunned and sent to the ministry. As the last one was done, they made a mass call and brought in three more that they didn't know existed.

Finally it was over. Voldemort was dead and all of his followers were captured and behind bars. Moody and Amelia were nearly in a state of shock. They never anticipated that this day would come, it was too good to be true. Now their attention was focused on Harry, they needed to know how he was before calling the Wizengamot into session and start processing the Death Eaters on to Azkaban. Amelia sent her aurors back to the ministry to help guard the prisoners, while she went to St. Mungo's. Moody congratulated and thanked his people. He told them that he would figure out the bounties and bonuses that would be given to them and told them where he would meet them in a week. After he saw them off, he too went to St. Mungo's.

~~oo000oo~~

"Sirius! How is he doing?" Amelia had just arrived and was looking for an update.

"He is still alive… at least we think so. We haven't been told anything since we got here. There has been a steady stream of healers and nurses that have been in and out of Harry's room. Many of them look frantic and worried. We don't know any more than that." Sirius reported. "How did things go with Voldemort? Did you get him?"

"Voldemort is dead and every last Death Eater has been captured." There were stunned silences from the four of them who had been waiting with Harry.

"Voldemort is dead?" Remus repeated, "And all the Death Eaters are captured? Do you mean that it's all over?"

"We still have the big job of processing all the Death Eaters through their trials, but yes, it's over. It's hard to accept that it is really over." Amelia responded while there were dumbfounded looks on the faces around her.

"How did it happen?" Tonks asked.

"We are certain that Voldemort was using Snape's dark mark to make a call when the patroni and locator beacon were released. But what really did the job was Harry's corporeal patronus. It came ripping through the link, tearing Snape's arm, Voldemort's wand, and Voldemort's remaining arm apart in the process. We found Harry's stag, glowing gold, standing over Snape and Voldemort when we got there. Voldemort had lost his other arm and was taking his last breaths with the stag watching closely. The stag didn't dissipate until we were ready to leave, I have never seen anything like it. We all saw Harry pouring his patronus power into the dark mark network, but what came out was incredible. He 'had a good summer' indeed," Amelia said with a sad smile.

"I wish that we knew more about what is happening with Harry," Remus said.

"Let me see what throwing around the weight of the Minister for Magic can do," Amelia said as she headed for Harry's room. It wasn't three minutes later a healer returned with her to the waiting area.

"I'm sorry that we haven't given you an update. The situation hasn't changed much from when you brought him in. He is breathing on his own and his heart is beating steadily now. That is a big improvement, beyond that we are working with an injury that none of us have seen before. We are doing the best that we can. It looks like we are going to have to give it a lot of time. We would like to give him Skelegro, but he needs to be stronger for that. We are doing everything that we can to help him gain that strength."

"Do you have any idea when we might know more?" Allison asked.

"Sorry, we think that he is stable for now. We just have to wait until he is stronger."

"Thank you for your report. Would you see to it that these people are kept informed the best that you can?" Amelia chided.

"You have my word, Madam Minister." The healer left and went back to Harry's room.

"Sirius, I know that now is not a good time for you, it is not a good time for any of us. But the Ministry holding cells are filled to over capacity. We are keeping prisoners stunned outside of the cells in order to keep them there. We need an emergency session of the Wizengamot to deal with the problem and get the prisoners on their way to Azkaban." Amelia stated. "I need you there to make sure that the punishment fits the crime and that Dumbledore doesn't give them all 'the ability to repent and reform.'"

"But I need to be here for Harry."

Remus answered, "Harry would want to see these criminals see justice. He has gone to extraordinary lengths to have them captured. We simply can't afford to let the ball drop on his efforts."

"I couldn't say it better myself," Amelia added, "we need to have Lord Black lead the effort to make sure that these animals stay locked up or Kissed. I'm going back to the Ministry to call an emergency session for two hours from now. I'm sure that Tonks or Allison will bring you any word from the healers about Harry's condition."

"Alright, I need to do it for Harry's sake. I don't like it, but I'll do it. I'll be there in two hours." Sirius finally capitulated. Amelia left and the group went back to waiting impatiently.

"Mister S'rus Black, sir?" Dobby arrived with a pop.

"Dobby, I suppose that you are worried." Sirius replied.

"Oh, yes, us elveses are much worried. Us elveses can feels Master Harry is very sick."

"The healers are doing everything that they can to help Harry."

"Yes sir, Master Harry's S'rus, but Goldy wantses to tells yous something, but she afraids to comes here, it is not elveses place to tells masters what to doos."

"What does Goldy wish to tells… er tell us?" Sirius asked

"May Goldy comes and talks to yous?"

"Certainly."

With a pop, Goldy was standing in front of the group, wringing her hands.

"What do you want to tell us, Goldy?"

"It is about the pretty birdsees. Goldy thinks that the pretty birdsees can help Master Harry."

"Can you explain more about the birds?"

"Us elveses works in greenhouses growing fruits for birdsees. Only us elveses knows hows to grows fruit that birdsees like."

"And…"

"Theres be lots and lots of birdsees that makes us elveses feels better. Goldy knows theys can makes Master Harry feels better toos."

"Do these birds have a name?"

"Theys have lots and lots of names. Goldy not knows alls the names."

"What is the name for all of them?" Sirius asked patiently.

"Goldy sorry. Theys is called phoenixes."

"You have a greenhouse full of phoenixes?" Sirius asked with some shock.

"Theres is three greenhouses full of pretty birdsees."

The four of them looked at Goldy like she had three heads. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. One phoenix was very rare, but three greenhouses full of them were beyond any dreams of reality.

"Goldy can you show me where they are? Can I meet you outside the greenhouses in a few minutes?" Sirius asked.

"Goldy bees there." With a pop she was gone.

"I have to check this out. You stay here and I'll be right back."

Sirius ran to the apparition point and apparated to Rivenwood's greenhouses. Goldy was waiting for him, she guided him to one of the distant greenhouses and motioned him inside. There was a jungle of blooming trees and plants with fruit hanging from the branches, but what got his immediate attention was the sound of phoenix song and the sight of phoenixes in every color imaginable. It was like walking into a different world, Sirius was in awe. He was sure that Goldy was right, if this place couldn't fix Harry, then nothing would.

Sirius went outside the greenhouse and apparated back to St. Mungo's, and hurried back to the waiting area to report what he found. The others couldn't believe what they were hearing. There couldn't be that many Phoenixes, there were only a few known to exist. Sirius hurried to Harry's door and tried to go in, but he was stopped by two nurses.

"I need to see the healer in charge. It is critical that I see him now."

"The healer is very busy with Mr. Potter and can't be disturbed."

"Tell him that he has ten minutes or I'll get the Minister back. First, tell me his name."

"His name is Oscar Wilbanks, but he can't be disturbed."

"Oh, he can be disturbed alright. You just tell him that I'll see him in ten minutes." Sirius left the nurse and walked back to the waiting area.

"Moony, I need you to get to Rivenwood's study and add 'Oscar Wilbanks' to the access list. I need this done in under ten minutes. I'm going to bring him there, even if I have to stun him first."

"I'll get it done and meet you there. I have to see this for myself." Remus told them and left.

"Tonks, Allison, I'm going to need your help to get the healer to Rivenwood. I don't care if you have to pull your badges and help me kidnap him, but we have to get him there as fast as possible. Harry's life may depend on it."

Ten minutes later an upset healer entered the area.

"I don't appreciate you issuing orders in my hospital. I will not stand for such behavior."

"You don't have a choice." Sirius replied. He grabbed one arm as Tonks grabbed the other and forced him to the apparition point. Allison was behind them with her wand drawn and flashing her badge.

"What are you doing? HELP!"

"Stop that. We are going to show you something that you won't believe. It is going to save Harry's life."

By the time that Sirius explained, they had reached the apparition point and Sirius side-along apparated the healer and himself in front of the greenhouse that Goldy showed him. Remus was waiting while Tonks and Allison appeared not too far away.

"Why did you bring me here?" The healer said angrily.

"Step in here and you will see why." Sirius urged him forward.

"What is so important…"

The healer was struck speechless. Remus, Tonks and Allison were right behind and they, too, couldn't believe what they were seeing. Most people would live their entire lives and never see a single Phoenix. Here was a greenhouse jungle where there was a bird everywhere you looked. And it was a big greenhouse, no one could see the other end.

"Harry's elf told me that there are three greenhouses just like this. She was most insistent that Harry could be helped here, and I agree."

"I… I don't know what to say. This place is beyond anything that I could ever imagine."

"I want Harry brought here immediately. You will have to work with Remus to get some of your people keyed into the wards around this place. I have to be leaving, I need to be at the Wizengamot," Sirius said. "I don't want to get Minister Bones involved again. You WILL bring Harry here."

"But the trip might kill him." Healer Wilbanks said

"Let me try this…" Sirius turned to the greenhouse at large and spoke loudly. "Excuse me, the owner of this estate is critically wounded and we would like to bring him here for you to care for. Could one or more of you help move him?"

There was a flash of flame from a branch on a tree and a brilliant green and yellow phoenix appeared in another flash in front of him. The bird wiggled its tail feathers to Sirius and the healer, with each of them firmly gripping a feather they were gone. They reappeared in Harry's room with a flash of flame, scaring the nurses and healer that was in his room. Healer Wilbanks informed those in the room that he was taking Harry to another location where he would get care by a phoenix. He didn't mention that there was more than one phoenix as no one would believe him.

Within minutes of arriving the phoenix took flight again and hovered over Harry's bed. Sirius stood on one side and Healer Wilbanks was on the other. They each grasped a tail feather and one side of Harry's bed and once again they left in a flash of flames. They reappeared where they left only minutes before. The songs changed to music that was indescribable, it was beautiful and soothing. Two other phoenixes flew down and started crying their tears into the wound. Immediately there were signs of healing. It was going to take more, but the wound looked better.

Sirius had to leave, he was going to have to hurry to make it on time.

~~oo000oo~~

Running into Courtroom ten just as the gavel was about to fall, Sirius ran to take his seat. Amelia was relieved to see him, she was very worried that something had happened to Harry.

"Order, order! Let this emergency session of the Wizengamot come to order." Dumbledore called out. "Minister Bones, you called this special session, you have the floor."

"Thank you, Chief Warlock Dumbledore. This session brings great news. The wizard known as Voldemort is dead. I saw him die with my own eyes."

Pandemonium broke out. There were screams from hearing the name plus shouts of incredulity at the news. After many minutes Dumbledore set off a cannon blast and got the courtroom back in order. He told Amelia to continue.

"As I said, Voldemort was killed earlier today. It was as a result of a spell cast by Harry Potter." chaos broke out once again. There was more shouting and screaming. Many didn't want to believe that Voldemort was back and many didn't want to believe that he was dead at the hands of Harry Potter. It took a long time for order to be restored again. Finally the Minister was allowed to continue.

"Voldemort is dead. I was there when he took his last breath. His death was a result of a spell that Harry Potter cast. All of the marked Death Eaters are now in our holding cells or are being kept stunned due to lack of space behind bars. We need to have trials for these people immediately, for we simply do not have the space to keep them all. Before we start, I need to let everyone know that as a result of Harry's spell, Harry is severely injured. I would like to yield the floor briefly to Lord Black for the latest update about his condition."

"Thank you, Minister Bones, I saw my godson, Harry, just a few minutes ago. He has been struggling for his life with a grave prognosis. Just before I left he was beginning a new treatment that looks hopeful. I think that we should all give a moment of silence to think of this young man that has done so much for us." After two minutes, Amelia resumed.

"At this time, the details of what transpired can be told. Harry Potter's reward for information about the dark mark was very successful. Information came forth that allowed me and others to access the dark marks and set a trap for Voldemort. After some experimentation, it was decided that the most evil man in centuries would be hurt the most by using the lightest of all magic. A series of patroni were sent through the dark mark in an effort to assault Voldemort, to hopefully disable him long enough for forces to arrive to capture him. What we didn't anticipate was Harry Potter's corporeal patronus springing forth from the mark to destroy the evil that it found. This patronus was so strong that it was solid for nearly an hour before it dissipated, long after Harry collapsed. It was standing guard over the site of Voldemort's death when I arrived with aurors and others to secure the location. This was the most powerful patronus that I have ever witnessed, it was a thing of beauty to behold. It was able to overcome the evil which it found with ease. This same access to the dark mark allowed for the capture of all of those marked, and brings us to the task at hand. We need to bring those wearing the dark mark forward to determine their fate. Are there any questions?"

"Surely, Madam Minister, that with the death of Voldemort, these men will no longer have a leader to direct them into a life of misdeeds. Bringing them before the Wizengamot is doing them an injustice, perhaps a fine would be sufficient." Dumbledore was trying to plead a case for extreme leniency.

Sirius jumped to his feet. "Chief Warlock, perhaps it would be better to try each case on its merits, with the judicious use of Veritaserum we can get to the bottom of the crimes committed and make an informed decision, based on facts, not on your supposition."

There were cries of support to what Sirius had just said. Dumbledore knew that if he brought the matter to a vote that Sirius, and all the votes that he controlled, would easily pass a motion for individual trials.

"Very well, let us continue. Minister Bones, would you care to direct today's proceedings?" Dumbledore asked.

"Thank you, I would."

The first trial was for a Death Eater that no one had heard of. He was given Veritaserum and a long list of murders, rapes and tortures were established. He was sentenced to death. The next Death Eater had a similar list of offenses and was also sentenced to death. As the process continued, one Death Eater had fewer crimes, and only received a life sentence in Azkaban.

Near the end of one trial Allison Jeffries entered the courtroom and took a seat in the gallery. Sirius caught her eye and she gave a small smile. After the current defendant was sentenced to death, Sirius asked for a recess while he got the latest update to Harry's condition. The request was granted and Sirius ran across the room to learn as much as he could, Amelia joined him moments later.

"Harry is out of danger of dying. The wound looks a lot better. The healers want to caution that there has been brain damage and don't know what to expect. So far the Phoenixes are doing amazing things."

Sirius and Allison had to try to convince Amelia that there really were three greenhouses full of phoenixes to help Harry get better. As expected Dumbledore had to make his appearance, "I wish for you to convey to Harry my utmost hope for his recovery, once he is fit to leave the hospital it would be best to bring him to Hogwarts and the care of Madam Pomfrey. I will tell her to be expecting him."

"Listen here, you delusional old coot, Harry Potter is not going anywhere near Madam Pomfrey or Hogwarts. Don't forget that I intend to have her license reviewed for the last time that Harry was under her 'care.'" Amelia was incensed at the nerve of Dumbledore.

"Surely, Amelia, that slight misunderstanding can be forgotten in light of Harry's serious new injuries. With all the publicity that his role in Voldemort's death is sure to bring, having him in a quiet refuge from the daily pressures of his stardom will be to his benefit." Dumbledore kept trying.

"Not on your life. Harry Potter is not going anywhere near you, Pomfrey or Hogwarts." Amelia was beyond angry. She was going to rip him a new one if he continued.

"Listen, Albus," Sirius started, "Harry is not going to return to Hogwarts. He is receiving the best care that is possible for him to receive, and he will recuperate at his home. There is no more room for discussion."

"But he has to be kept safe and Hogwarts is the safest place in Britain." Dumbledore wasn't taking no for an answer.

"The only things that Harry needs to be kept safe from are any Death Eaters that you manage to release, the students in your school, your faculty and you. None of those things will threaten him where he is. Now, recess is over it is time to get back to work." Sirius and Amelia left Dumbledore standing there as they went back to their positions. Allison left as well to return to watch over Harry.

The trials continued into the night, until the holding cells could hold the remaining prisoners. The Wizengamot would meet again the next afternoon to continue to process them through. Sirius left the courtroom to return to Rivenwood, he had to see how Harry was doing. It was 10 pm when he got to the manor and Goldy told him that everyone was still in the greenhouse. Sirius arrived to find that Tonks and Allison were with him, along with a healer that he hadn't seen before. Remus was gone, presumably to the Daily Prophet to get the next morning's issue ready. Moody was there, sitting quietly in the background just watching what was going on.

"Alastor, I didn't see you in the courtroom. Have you been here all the time?"

"Aye, I didn't think that I could stop myself from killing Albus if he managed to turn one of those scum loose. How many did he manage to free?"

"Not a one, most have been Kissed, only two have lifetime sentences, none of them have gone free."

"That is better than I hoped… you are doing a good job, thank you."

"So what are you going to do now?" Sirius asked.

"Don't rightly know. I have been chasing Voldemort and the Death Eaters so long that I never thought about what I would do if they weren't around anymore. I never thought it would be possible, so I never considered the idea. I don't know what I'm going to do. I was just sitting here watching a very remarkable young man fight for his life. Other than a patronus that is unbelievably powerful, he doesn't have magical powers much above normal. He could perform his patronus at an age that no one else could do, and he can now perform that spell better than anyone else. But he hasn't shown an aptitude for extraordinary magic other than that. It was because he was willing to spend whatever money he needed to end the war that brought us here. His bounties for Death Eaters and Voldemort were what it took to destroy Voldemort's power. I think that he knows more than he's telling about his escapade in Africa that bankrupted Voldemort's inner circle. Without money, Voldemort lost much of his power with his followers. He couldn't reward anyone for their performance, and he couldn't recruit more followers. It was a master stroke of genius, and Potter put his own money on the line. His money and courage is what made the difference in bringing Voldemort and his followers to an end."

"I can't argue with a word that you said," Sirius added, "but you should also take some credit as well. You assembled a fighting force that captured Death Eaters and brought security to Harry when he needed it. You and they were on the front lines fighting the good fight. Things would not have turned out so well without your help."

"We all had our parts to play, but it wouldn't have been possible if not for that young man over there."

"I can agree with that."

~~oo000oo~~

Morning came and the color had returned to Harry's face. His wound had healed and hadn't left a scar. The lightning bolt was gone forever. Light was flooding in through the glass roof and the phoenix song was one of a cheerful greeting. They were radiating happiness and joy, Harry lay there and listened while his eyes were closed. He didn't know where he was, but it was so beautiful to lie there soaking up the sounds around him. Someone was wiping his forehead with a damp cloth as he heard their voice saying they were looking for something. Once the cloth was away from his face he opened his eyes. There was a face looking at him.

"How do you feel, Mr. Potter?"

"Fine."

"Do you have a headache?"

"No."

"Do you know who I am?"

"No."

The conversation brought attention from others around the area. Sirius had been dozing and was awake in an instant hearing Harry's one word answers. Sirius rushed to Harry's bedside and looked into Harry's eyes.

"Pup, can you hear me?"

"Hi," Harry said weakly.

"It is great to see that you are awake. Do you feel bad anywhere?"

"'m fine."

"Do you remember what happened?"

"No… yes… how's…"

"Easy Harry, Voldemort's dead. It was your patronus that killed him."

"Good… my…?"

"Yes, everything went according to plan except Voldemort couldn't live with your patronus attacking him. All the Death Eaters have been caught too."

"Good."

"Do you know where you are?"

"No."

"Do you want me to tell you?"

"Please."

"Do you remember wanting to ask Goldy about the extra greenhouses?"

"Yes."

"You are in one of the greenhouses. It is full of phoenixes, and they have been helping you get better."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Goldy explained that your elves grow special fruit that the phoenixes like. There are three greenhouses full of phoenixes. They have been helping you all night."

"Nice… songs..."

"They are beautiful. Do you think that you can go back to sleep?"

"Yes."

"I will leave you to rest. There will be someone nearby if you need anything."

"Water?"

"Sure thing, Pup." Sirius was given a glass of water with a straw and said, "here you go. Have as much as you want." Harry had his drink and went off to sleep. Sirius walked over to the side to discuss his conversation with Harry.

"It is very encouraging, I believe that he should be able to function nearly normal. It will take a few days, and he will need some help, but it looks very promising," said the healer on duty.

"That is wonderful to hear, it is so good to be talking to him. After seeing his wound, I didn't think he was going to survive let alone be talking to me so soon."

"It is these wonderful phoenixes. They are the ones that should get all the credit. I'm still in awe that so many of them exist," said the healer. "Is it true what you told him about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

"Every word of it, Harry led the effort and Harry cast the spell that killed him. Unfortunately something happened and Harry collapsed from some sort of backlash in his scar." Sirius explained. "Voldemort is dead and the Death Eaters are going to follow him if I have my way about it. Several have been Kissed and two have lifetime sentences so far. I need to get some sleep and get to the Wizengamot session this afternoon to send even more to their fate. You should be able to read all about it in this morning's Daily Prophet."

~~oo000oo~~

_VOLDEMORT IS DEAD, HARRY POTTER KILLED HIM_

_By Archibald Withers_

_Yesterday, the war ended with the death of Voldemort and the capture of all Death Eaters. Harry Potter's reward for information proved fruitful and he was able to use the dark mark to accomplish what we could only dream about. Unfortunately, Harry Potter was severely wounded in the effort and has been clinging to life. At the time of publication, it is unknown if Mr. Potter will survive or what the prognosis will be. Mr. Potter suffered a head injury that may have caused brain damage. We here at the Daily Prophet wish him well and hope for a complete recovery…_

~~oo000oo~~

Hermione could hardly believe what she was reading. When the owls delivered the Daily Prophet at breakfast she had never expected what she saw. Her best friend had succeeded in killing Voldemort using the information that they had found as a result of the reward that she had helped with. It was finally over, but Harry may never be the same. Harry's friends looked at her and each other trying to come to grips with what it all meant. She didn't have a way to get word to Harry, she went on to read that Sirius was busy at the Wizengamot and Remus was sure to be swamped at the Daily Prophet. Another thought suddenly came to mind and she hurried from the Great Hall followed by Harry's friends. They followed Hermione to an empty classroom.

"Hermione, why are we here and what are you doing? Is this about Harry?" Ginny expressed.

"Just wait… Dobby!"

"Master Harry's Hermy calls Dobby?

"Yes, Dobby, can you tell us how Harry is doing? We are so worried."

"Pretty birdies making Master Harry feels better. Master Harry is sleeping again."

"What kind of pretty birds are you talking about?"

"Phoenixes, lots and lots of phoenixes"

"Lots and lots?"

"Lots and lots."

"You mean that there are a lot of phoenixes helping to heal Harry?

"Yes, Master Harry's Hermy."

"You said that he was sleeping again. Was he awake and talking?"

"Master Harry was awakes and talking."

"Is there anything else that you can tell us?"

"Dobby canst thinks of anythings."

~~oo000oo~~

"Ted, have you made any progress with Playwitch for Harry?"

"No, Andi, they refuse to sell and won't take any amount of money to stop printing Harry's pictures."

"Something has to be done. Did Harry say that you could spend any amount?"

"You know he did." Ted replied

"How do you think they are going to be able to print if they don't have paper or ink?"

"Are you suggesting that I buy all the paper and ink on the market?"

"Harry said that you could spend any amount. Right? Buy the paper companies if you have to."

"Andi, you're a genius, and I love you."

~~oo000oo~~

"Order! Order! Let this session of the Wizengamot come to order." Dumbledore said. "This afternoon's session is to continue to try these unfortunate individuals that have been arrested for wearing the dark mark. Minister Bones? Do you wish to continue?"

"Yes, Chief Warlock, I do."

The process continued for much of the afternoon the same way that it did the night before. Most of the Death Eaters were sentenced to death with only an occasional exception that received a life sentence.

"Bring in the next defendant, Severus Snape." Amelia called.

"I object," stated Dumbledore emphatically, "this man has been tried before on this charge and has been found innocent. We can't try him twice on the same charge!"

"I assure you Chief Warlock that he is not being tried on prior charges. He has committed new offenses."

"Even so, I vouch for this man, he has my complete confidence and having another trial for him is a miscarriage of justice."

"So noted. Please bring in the prisoner." Snape was brought in and strapped to the chair except for his missing arm.

"What has happened to this prisoner's arm? Why was I not informed about this?" Dumbledore was getting angry.

"Severus Snape's arm was lost while assisting Voldemort, it was not an action of the Ministry or the aurors." Amelia tried to say calmly, although she was ready to strangle Dumbledore. "Auror, please give the prisoner the Veritaserum."

Dumbledore sat back and watched the events unfold.

"What is your name?"

"Severus Tobias Snape"

"Have you committed crimes since the last time you were here?"

"Yes."

"Have you used an unforgiveable curse?"

"Yes."

"Which curse did you use?"

"I have used all three." Pandemonium broke out once again. It took Dumbledore several minutes to restore order.

"Who did you use the killing curse on?"

"Owen Gibbons."

"Why did you kill him?"

"Because he tried to kill my master." The courtroom erupted again.

"Tell us what happened."

"That scum, Gibbons, fired a diffindo at my master. He nearly stuck him in the neck, he did manage to cut off my Lord's wand arm. So I killed him to stop him from trying again."

"So you stopped an attempt at killing Voldemort. Are you saying that you saved Voldemort's life?"

"I saved my master's life. I cleared the room of everyone, locked the doors, cauterized his arm and healed the slice to his chest. I was able to stop the bleeding in time before he bled to death."

"How did you use the torture curse?"

"I was given the task to protect my Lord and stand guard to stop anyone from trying to collect Potter's ridiculous bounty. I used it against anyone that looked like they may have been tempted."

"How did you use the Imperius curse?"

"I couldn't stay awake all the time. I would place one of the others under the curse to ensure that they wouldn't try to take my master's life and to serve as a guard."

"Auror, give the prisoner the antidote." Amelia instructed. "Ladies and gentlemen, Severus Snape has admitted that he has provided aid and comfort to the enemy. He also admits to saving the life of his master, when he could have easily done nothing and let him die. He has admitted to using all three unforgivables since he was last here. Does anyone have any doubts about his guilt?"

"I still object. We can't try an individual twice. He has been exonerated before, and he must be again."

"Chief Warlock we understand your views on this matter, we also understand that you have complete faith in this man's honor, and you believe that he is completely innocent of all charges. Have I missed anything?" Amelia stated

"No, you haven't. I'm glad to know that you see things like I do." Dumbledore said complacently.

"I don't see things your way. I think that you are delusional and should be examined by a mind healer." Amelia said somberly. "Can I see a show of hands of those who think that the Chief Warlock should step down from his position and be admitted to St. Mungo's for a full psychiatric exam?"

"Surely you don't mean that Amelia, we may have our little disagreements, but there is no reason to get personal."

"Chief Warlock, look in the gallery… you can see nearly every hand raised in support of you being admitted to St. Mungo's immediately. Do you want to go peacefully, or do you want to go through the process of being removed and committed involuntarily?"

Dumbledore looked at the raised hands and stepped down from the podium and walked out the doors. It took a few minutes for Augusta Longbottom to be temporarily appointed to the position and the trial to continue. Snape was found guilty of all charges and was given the Kiss. Sirius looked on sadly; he hated Snape most of his life, but it was sad somehow to see what the man had become. It was the right verdict, but it made him reflect on what might have been.

~~oo000oo~~

Harry was getting better every day. He still had a little problem with his balance, but his mind was as good as it ever was. He had talked to Moody at length and decided the five million galleon bounty for Voldemort, the remainder of the three million that he had given plus the bounties for the last of the Death Eaters should be split equally among his people. That meant that they would each get over a hundred thousand galleons apiece over the top of anything they had gotten before. Harry also had ideas about rewarding the auror force as well, but he needed to discuss it with Amelia first.

Harry thought of Allison, he had given Tonks a million galleons plus fifty thousand for guard duty, but Allison didn't get the million. It just wasn't fair. So for her birthday, Harry deposited a million into her account. Allison didn't like it at first, but after watching Harry spend money she knew that he could afford it. The money would set her up for life, she wouldn't have to work as an auror unless she enjoyed it and that was worth a lot to her. She gave Harry a hug and thanked him, there was little more that she could do.

~~oo000oo~~

Christmas holidays were coming and Harry was anxious to show Rivenwood to his friends. He had written to them and set up a schedule to have them visit for most of the holiday break. He had invited his male year mates plus Hermione and Ginny. They all said they would come for at least part of the holiday. Harry could hardly wait.

With the wards around the estate working so well and no threats from Voldemort and the Death Eaters, Tonks and Allison went back to the DMLE during the day but stayed at Rivenwood the rest of the time to keep him company. Remus spent as much time with Harry as his job allowed, which wasn't much, but Harry appreciated it as well. The person that Harry spent the most time with was Sirius, which suited both of them just fine.

Sirius taught Harry how to apparate to coordinates and places that he had never been. The two of them had fun apparating all over Britain. They would have breakfast in one city, do something in another, have lunch in a third city, go to the beach, have supper somewhere else. After a few days, Harry was comfortable with apparating and went to the ministry for his test. He had problems with the receptionist gawking at him and checking him out, and the young woman doing the test wasn't much better, but he easily passed the test and was able to go wherever he wanted.

Harry and Sirius also learned how to make portkeys, Sirius knew how and taught Harry, but the matter a getting a Ministry license was difficult. Sirius and Harry spent a lot of time working their way through the paperwork. It was typical bureaucracy, there were so many forms to fill out and time spent waiting for bureaucrats to meet with. Finally, Sirius and Harry couldn't deal with it anymore and started to push their fame and lordships around. They hated to do it, but it was the only way to cut through the red-tape. Finally they both had put up a huge financial bond and got their licenses. They couldn't buy a portkey from anyone else to take people through the wards at Rivenwood or Grimmauld Place, and both of them wanted to have that ability. The paperwork would be enormous, but it would still be easier than other means of getting someone there.

When Sirius was busy and he was alone, Harry visited his other estates. Dobby was right. There were lots and lots of other elves that he bonded with. Harry didn't know how many and decided not to count. He found many of the other estates and properties beautiful and he was going to enjoy spending some time staying at them. He moved most of the portraits back to the estates they came from. He thought that he would visit them more often if he did.

He still had a desire to learn about his family, especially the Potters. Harry had moved all of the Potter portraits to Rivenwood where he could read more of his ancestor's journals and then discuss with them what they had done. He didn't know when he was going to pull off his next scam. He had already taken care of the worst crooks, now he needed to find some more worthy targets.

~~oo000oo~~

The holidays had arrived and Harry met Hermione and her parents at Platform 9 ¾. They had agreed that they would spend the next two nights with Harry before spending Christmas at their home. Harry had worn a hooded robe that obscured his face to avoid the girls. Hermione knew what to look for and ran to him when she got off the train.

"Harry!"

"Shhhh! Don't tell anyone I'm here."

"Sorry, I just got excited."

"Let's just grab your parents and get out of here, it's not safe." They quickly moved to meet Dan and Emma Granger. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I don't mean to be rude, but I would like to leave as quickly as possible." Harry held out a short piece of rope, they all grabbed on and they were gone. They reappeared in the foyer of Rivenwood. The house was a decorated for Christmas beyond anything that Hermione and her parents could imagine. Harry had brought in a lot of elves and spared no time or expense, he wanted his first Christmas in his own house to be very special. With the help of some very talented elves it turned out better than he could have ever hoped.

"Harry… I don't know what to say… it is beautiful. Beyond beautiful, it is stunning, there aren't words to describe it." Hermione had her mouth hanging open. There was a tree nearly to the ceiling of the foyer, and the foyer served all three floors of the manor. There were fairies lighting every little branch with garland and decorations covering nearly everything. There were wreathes and garland everywhere with whimsical figurines throughout it all. It was beyond anything that any of the Grangers had ever seen, even in magazines.

"Mr. Potter, I had no idea that it would be like this," said Mrs. Granger.

"Oh please, there is no Mr. Potter here… it is 'Harry', only 'Harry,'" he replied.

"Then we are Dan and Emma. You have a gorgeous home. I have never seen anything like this." Emma said.

"Thank you, Emma, it is my first Christmas in my new home, and I wanted it to be very special. Wait until you see the rest of it."

"You mean there's more?" Dan exclaimed.

"There is a lot more." Harry grinned. Harry took them on a tour. He had over a hundred elves working for three days getting the house ready and he was having the time of his life showing it off. He showed them all the formal rooms of the house and then took them outside to see the exterior and the gardens.

"When you said that your house was grand, I didn't expect Buckingham Palace. This is even grander than that." Emma gushed.

"I probably went a little overboard on the decorations, but the elves were having such a great time and I was enjoying it too."

"To create such a masterpiece as this, it was worth whatever you did." Dan added.

"Let's go back inside. Kippy has been dying to provide you with some of her cooking. I'm sure that she is waiting eagerly."

~~oo000oo~~

Hermione and her parents were still staying with Harry when he welcomed the Weasley family for supper.

"Mrs. Weasley, I'm so happy that you came."

"Harry!" He was crushed by the over enthusiastic woman.

"Breathe… I need to breathe…" He gasped.

"Just look at you, you're practically skin and bones. You need proper meals."

"Mrs. Weasley, I have a wonderful elf that is a terrific cook and takes great care of me. She would be hurt to hear you say that."

"Yes, well, you still need someone to take care of you."

"I'm doing very well taking care of myself. I don't need anyone to fuss over me. I'm just fine as I am."

"But Harry, dear, you can get into so much trouble by yourself. You need an adult to guide you."

"I have Sirius, Remus, Tonks and Allison to depend on. I don't need more than them."

"They are hardly the type of people that can take proper care of you."

"They are all that I need or want. I would appreciate if you wouldn't speak ill of those people that I care about." Harry had taken just about enough from her. "I invited you and your family to share dinner with me, let's please enjoy the evening."

"But Harry…"

"No 'buts', we are here to enjoy the evening, this is hardly getting ourselves off to a good start. Now let me show you to the dining room, supper is about to be served." It was going to be a long evening, but Harry had to make the effort if there was going to be any chance that Ron and Ginny would be allowed to join him for tutoring. Harry had invited the Weasleys to dine with the Grangers and himself in the hopes of limiting who would be offended. He began to regret it soon enough.

"Harry, dear, this place is much too big for you, whatever will you do with all this space? You should come to the Burrow where you can be in a real home and taken care of."

"This is my home, at least one of them, I have no intentions of leaving here, much less going to the Burrow. I'm perfectly happy here, and I told you earlier I don't need to be taken care of."

"Look how much trouble you got into last summer. Going to Africa, really, that isn't an example of a good decision. You need a proper adult to guide you."

"I don't regret what I did for a minute. Now, can we drop the subject, I'm sure that Mr. and Mrs. Granger aren't here to listen to us argue. This is not a polite conversation to be having in front of guests."

"Don't think that I'm done with you yet. I haven't even mentioned those photos of yours."

"Mrs. Weasley, I'm trying to be as polite as I can. Please drop this conversation, or I will ask you to leave."

"Don't take that tone of voice with me."

"Molly, you have said more than enough, this is Harry's home, and we are only guests. It is about time that you act like one." Arthur chastised.

"But Arthur…"

"I'm sorry for spoiling your evening Harry, Molly and I will be leaving, please try to enjoy the rest of your evening."

"Arthur!"

"No, we are going back to the Burrow." Arthur and Molly walked to the fireplace and flooed home.

Ron, Ginny and the twins were still with Harry, Hermione and the Grangers.

"Mate, I'm sorry about Mum. She didn't have any right to say what she did. She was just being Mum, it can be annoying, and I'm sorry." Ron apologized.

"Sometimes…"

"…that woman…"

"…can drive us…"

"…around the twist." Fred and George added.

"Sorry, Harry, she was wrong about everything. She just doesn't want us to grow up." Ginny said.

"It's alright, I sorta expected that. It doesn't come as a complete surprise. I was hoping that I could convince her to let you come here for tutoring. I would really like to have all of you here to learn with."

"Let me see what I can do Harry." Ginny said.

"If anyone can get Mum to do something, it's Ginny," Ron replied with the twins nodding their support.

Harry, I have been thinking about leaving Hogwarts sooner rather than later. In fact that is one of the reasons that I wanted my parents here for this conversation." Hermione started. "Mum and Dad pay my tuition by the term, they haven't paid for next term yet. If payment isn't made, I will likely be told to leave, which is exactly what I want to happen."

Ginny thought out loud, "Mum and Dad also pay by the term. Maybe we can stop them from sending the money to Hogwarts too."

"We can…"

"… always get…"

"… ourselves…"

"… expelled."

"Listen, all of you. I really want you to join me. I have some recommendations for tutors and I'm going to start after the first of the year. Having all of you here would be fantastic."

"What would happen if we don't show up and don't pay the tuition? How are they going to stop us? Track us down and take us back at wandpoint?" Ron asked.

"This is sounding better all the time, guys. I want to mention that they can't track you down at Rivenwood. The wards won't allow anyone to know about this place unless I want them to know."

"So if we stayed here until it is time to take our test, then we couldn't be found by the authorities?" Hermione asked.

"Amelia Bones has access to Rivenwood. I'll have to talk to her about turning a blind eye to what she might see, but I think that I can do that."

"After ridding…"

"… the world…"

"… of the most evil…"

"… dark lord…"

"… in centuries…"

"… and his followers,"

"… She might have…"

"… a soft spot in her…"

"… heart for you."

"I don't know about that, but we get along really well together. I wouldn't be asking her to do anything officially, only to unofficially turn a blind eye. If that doesn't work there are other options." Harry said with enthusiasm. "If you all want to do this, I'll do everything I can to make it happen."

"Let's do it!" said the twins in unison, and the plan was set. The Grangers thought that having individual instruction for their daughter and having her somewhere they could visit on weekends, or even weeknights was better than okay with them.

There was a lot of talk about tutors and subjects to discuss and Harry asked that they all help interview the applicants. That was met with enthusiasm. They also agreed to contact Neville the next day to see if he would be interested too. They were going to make the offer to Dean and Seamus as well

The Weasley siblings went home later in the evening to work on the plan with their dad and mum. Ginny was pretty confident that she could get her mother to come around eventually.

~~oo000oo~~

As it turned out, permission was given for the Weasleys and Neville to join Harry and Hermione. Seamus and Dean declined the offer but said that if things weren't better by the end of the school year, they would join in then. Harry enjoyed the holidays with his friends coming to Rivenwood frequently, and after the first of the year they all helped select their tutors and get a schedule established. They were able to arrange to only have classes four days per week. That left Harry a lot of time to visit his other estates and do whatever else he felt like doing.

~~oo000oo~~

In early spring, Harry was surprised to hear from Grunnings. It seemed that Vernon Dursley had managed to reach his sales goal. Harry had thought that the sales amount was impossible to reach, but apparently Vernon did it. Harry decided to leave the Dursley's alone. He would see to it that they never came close to him again and that was enough. Harry's life was going very well, he didn't want to dwell in the past on things that he couldn't change. It was time to move on.

~~oo000oo~~

The pace of learning at Rivenwood, throughout the winter and spring, was remarkable. With one-on-one instruction, everyone was flying through their lessons. Long before the end of Hogwarts school year, the group had passed their OWLs with mostly 'O's'. Fred and George had passed their NEWTs in very good shape, much better than they would have at Hogwarts.

Harry's life couldn't be better, he had his friends with him, and he didn't have to put up with Dumbledore or the girls of Hogwarts. He was very unhappy that it was going to be nearly impossible to find a girlfriend that would like him for being him. But he believed Sirius that something would happen when the time came.

Overall Harry was happy with his life. He enjoyed Rivenwood and would always think of it as his home. That is where he kept his tent most of the time. He still slept by the pool every night and always had a restful night of sleep.

Harry had searched through the master ledger and found that he owned a small tropical island that belonged to one of his other titles. He didn't want to let the others into the Potter family secrets so he only visited during three day weekends when the weather was particularly nasty at Rivenwood. Harry enjoyed working on his tan on the island's private beach and he made sure there were no cameras around. He was never going to do THAT again... although… for the right scam and another billion galleons he might consider it.

THE END

.

Final Author's Note:

I want to thank everyone that has read this story. The reviews have shown that many people have enjoyed it and that makes me happy.

As I said in the opening author's note, there have been many things that I have not run across in all the fan fiction that I have read. We have all read stories that Harry has found his vault full of many things besides money. I could never understand why he didn't take the time to use this valuable source of information and that is why I had him spend time in his vault. The original idea of the tent was to facilitate the idea of giving Harry a lot of time to explore his vault. Of course, it provided more possibilities than that.

We have all heard "money is power". I have never understood why no one used money as the "power he knows not". There have been countless stories where Harry has been super rich and nothing is ever done with the wealth. I finally wanted to see this idea in print. Nowhere have I seen a bounty placed on Voldemort and the Death Eaters, I believe that to be unique.

Having the entire student body rebel against Umbridge and Snape was another thing that I haven't seen. The Declaration of Independence states in its preamble, "Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed". A school is no different. A school administration can't assert authority over an oppressed student body without running the risk of rebellion.

Using the dark mark more extensively in a story is another thing that I have never seen. Taking advantage of the mentions of magic mirrors is another thing that I haven't seen. Having Harry fight for control of the Daily Prophet by doing whatever he can and putting Remus in control of the paper is also something that I have never seen.

Having Harry suffer the consequences of his actions from ill-conceived plans, which a typical teenager wouldn't consider, is another thing that is rarely used. Having the consequences of his actions result in forcing him to lose the life that he has known in Hogwarts with his friends is another thing that I haven't seen.

Using a Patronus charm against Voldemort is new to me.

For all these reasons, I decided to write my own story. I hope that these ideas are taken by other authors to create better stories than what I have managed to do.

Once again, I want to thank all of you for taking the time to read this.


End file.
